SYDNEY, July 12: Australian off-spinner Nathan Hauritz has echoed Shane Watson’s feelings on the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, saying he didn’t care where he played as long he got to represent his country.

Watson had said he’d play anywhere but some Australian players, including Andrew Symonds, expressed their reservations on touring Pakistan, which had two bomb attacks on its cities in the past two weeks.

However Hauritz, who was named in Australia’s 30 probables for the Champions Trophy, said getting the chance to play for the national team didn’t happen all the time.

“You can go to a number of places in this world that are dangerous,” Hauritz, who last played for Australia in 2004, told the Sydney-based Daily Telegraph.

“But at the end of the day it’s not my call and it’s up to Cricket Australia. I’m sure they will do everything they can to make sure it’s safe.”’

Peter Young, the Cricket Australia spokesman, made it clear the board wouldn’t send players to a place that was dangerous.

“We understand the players’ concerns,” Young said. “It is a concern of ours. International cricket is important to billions of fans around the world but, like Andrew [Symonds] said, ‘It’s only a game’, and the issue is if we can justify sending our players anywhere where it might be dangerous.”

Australia are expected to take a decision on whether or not to tour Pakistan in three weeks.

While the board, along with New Zealand Cricket and the England board, had hired Reg Dickason, an independent security expert, to visit Karachi and submit a report on the security measures for the Asia Cup, Cricket Australia’s own operations chief, Michael Brown, is not expected back from his annual leave till next week, Young said.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...