ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: Pakistan is venturing into the unknown again by agreeing to host the 9th SAF Games in Islamabad, and jinxed as the event is, it is now certain to clash with India’s cricket tour.

Such negative has been the impact of three postponements since late 2001 that a mention of SAF Games today draws laughter from sports fans.

Officials might not agree but the fact of the matter is that repeated postponements have done no good to Pakistan’s image and that of the organisers.

Now the Games have been pencilled in for March 29 to April 7 next year and much to the organisers bad luck, that is the time the Indian cricketers will be in Pakistan for what will be their first Test tour of this country in over 14 years.

This means that cricket, in all probability, will overshadow the Games unless they are rescheduled by the South Asian Sports Federation (SASF), the body authorised to re-set dates.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PUB) however says that India’s matches in Rawalpindi would be wound up before the start of the Games. Still, the kind of following cricket has in the country, the threat of the gloss being taken away from the Games, remains.

Originally slated for October 2001, the luckless 9th edition had to be rescheduled for March 2002 following the events of 9/11 and the subsequent US-led war on Afghanistan. Again when tensions with neighbouring India rose over the disputed Kashmir region, another rescheduling saw the event being put back for March 2003.

But nothing seemed to go right for the organisers who then surrendered their hosting rights, this time because of the war in Iraq.

Sri Lanka who were awarded the 9th edition by SASF, reluctantly accepted the offer but later pulled out. Hence the ball fell into Islamabad’s lap again.

Although the build-up to the Games has yet to begin, Islamabad has everything in place to stage the show. Immaculate preparations have been made and final dress rehearsals were being conducted days before the last postponement.

So it wouldn’t be a problem seeing the Games through, if all goes well, that is. But the real problem would be to ensure that enough spectator interest is generated, especially with cricket going on.

The Indian cricket team is expected to arrive in Pakistan in late February for what is likely to be a 55-day tour comprising three Tests and seven one-day Internationals.

Also, sponsorship that has not been much of problem in the past for the event managers, could be a major hurdle this time - the organisers’ reputation having been dented because of repeated postponements.

Besides, the sponsors may be tempted to spend their money on cricket instead, making things difficult for the organising committee that is headed by Lt. Gen Syed Arif Hasan.

But however bad things may be, the silver lining for Arif & Co is that India will finally be on show, their government announcing last month resumption of full sporting ties with Pakistan.

There had always been a question mark hanging over India making the trip to Islamabad previously. But Pakistan went one-up by sending a small Pakistani contingent across the border for the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad last month.

Whether India turn up or not, there are some who still believe that Pakistan have made a mistake by accepting to be the hosts. “I do not see the Games taking place again,” says a former sports minister asking not to be named.

“It would be too embarrassing for us all if another postponement has to come about.”

With the organisers quietly hoping that the Games are finally held on schedule, they are perhaps aware how even an isolated incident can turn things around. The South African cricket team is the case in point. A small bomb blast in Karachi, in which there were no casualties, led to the United Cricket Board cancelling their scheduled tour before eventually reversing their decision. Such events are indeed no good publicity for the country.

So good luck then to the SAF Games Organising Committee, they will need lots of it.