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| July 6, 2005 | Wednesday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 28, 1426 |
England ditch Karachi as Test venue
LAHORE, July 5: Following India last year, England have also refused to prolong their stay in Karachi during the forthcoming tour this winter, due to security concerns. The four-member ECB delegation, including two security persons, held discussions with PCB officials on Tuesday to finalise the itinerary, and have declined the offer of playing a Test in Karachi while keeping an alternate proposal of playing back-to-back One-day International matches in that city, pending.
England are scheduled to visit Pakistan from Oct 25 to Dec 22 this year to play three Tests and five ODIs.
“Yes the PCB proposed to the delegates the idea of playing back-to-back ODIs in Karachi if not a Test but they have agreed to play one ODI only in Karachi,” PCB director cricket operations Saleem Altaf told reporters after holding the meeting with the ECB delegation.
The ECB delegation comprised director cricketer operations, John Carr and a representative of the Player Association Richard Bevan besides two security officers Andy Allman and Douglas Dick.
Saleem said that the ECB delegates would take the proposal of two ODIs in Karachi, to England for further discussion with the ECB head.
“The PCB chairman is also in England and he will discuss the proposal with his English counterpart, before finalizing the itinerary, most probably, in the next 10 days,” Saleem explained.
The director elaborated that England would play a Test match each in Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan.
If England agreed, Karachi and Lahore would host two ODIs each, while Rawalpindi the remaining fifth. On the other hand, if England agree to play just one ODI in Karachi then Rawalpindi will stage two one-dayers.
Saleem said that England would also play two three-day practice matches one each at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi and Bagh-i-Jinnah, Lahore.
However, the venue for the one-day practice match was yet to be decided.
The refusal of playing Test cricket by foreign teams in Karachi started after a bomb blast which occurred in front of the New Zealand’s team hotel in that city in 2002.
Since then, Australia and West Indies refused to tour Pakistan in 2002 and both the series were held at neutral venues (Sri Lanka, Sharjah). Later South Africa toured Pakistan but refused to play in Karachi.
India also refused a longer stay in Karachi while playing a solitary one-dayer. Only Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have played Test matches in Karachi since 2002.
Saleem said the PCB also proposed the appointment of neutral umpires in the one-day matches and a final decision would be taken in the meeting between the heads of the two boards in England.
He said that the PCB also wants to appoint neutral umpires in next year’s home series against India.
Asked if the PCB would also propose to the ECB to appoint neutral umpires when the Pakistan team tour England in next year, Saleem answered in negative.
“The PCB is not insisting upon the ECB to accept the proposal of neutral umpires on reciprocal basis,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Saleem claimed that the future of local umpires would not be affected because of the decision and hints for changes of Pakistani umpires in the panel of the ICC. “The local umpires have chances to get place in the ICC elite panel by showing performance in the domestic cricket.”
The senior umpires were affected when junior umpires like Aleem Dar, Nadeem Ghauri, Asad Rauf and Zameer Haider were recommended by the PCB to the ICC panel, despite their limited experience in domestic cricket.
APP adds: Former Pakistan captain and legendary opener Hanif Mohammad urged England and ECB and English Players Association to play both Test and ODI in Karachi.
“Safety and security fears of ECB and players are uncalled for and they should reconsider their decision of playing in biggest city of the country,” he said in reaction to ECB decision not to play in Karachi.
Karachi, he said, was the premier Test centre of the country and England teams had previoulsy played here without any problem.
“I don’t see any problem for English team playing in Sindh capital,” he remarked.
“It will be heart-breaking for die-hard supporters if England decided not to reconsider their decision to play in Karachi.”
He said Karachi has the best infrastructure, hotels and atmosphere for staging both Tests and ODI. Government of Pakistan has already assured ECB to provide top security.
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