KARACHI, Sept 23: Pakistan coach Javed Miandad has urged cricket officials to find a permanent solution to the problem of foreign teams refusing to play in Karachi or Peshawar for security reasons.

South Africa reversed their decision to cancel a tour of Pakistan on Tuesday after the hosts offered a revised itinerary that dropped the two cities as match venues.

Miandad said: “I think this situation cannot go on for long. Karachi and Peshawar cannot be isolated as international venues.”

He urged the International Cricket Council to find “a logical solution” to the problem.

Miandad was disappointed at the dropping of Karachi. “Still I appeal to them to play the last one-day here.”

The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) decided to call the tour off because of a bomb blast in Karachi on Friday but changed their minds when offered a new itinerary.

“It would have been a big setback to Pakistan cricket if the tour had not taken place at all,” Miandad said.

“I am relieved they are coming because we badly needed to play international cricket at home.”

Pakistani skipper Rashid Latif said: “I think in the end it is best that we have South Africa coming to Pakistan. Once they come, hopefully this problem of teams refusing to play in some cities will be resolved once and for all.”

“Pakistani players have been deprived of cricket on home grounds and our fans have also suffered, so it’s great news,” said Inzamam-ul-Haq, who led Pakistan in the recent one-dayers against Bangladesh.—Reuters/AFP