West Indies tour postponed due to Lahore smog

E-Paper | October 01, 2026

West Indies tour postponed due to Lahore smog

Abdul Ghaffar Published November 6, 2017

The much-awaited three-match T20 series between Pakistan and the West Indies, slated to be held later this month, is likely to be postponed, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials told DawnNews on Monday.

A senior PCB official said the thick blanket of smog in Lahore, [where the matches were expected to be held], and the commitment of West Indies' major players to the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) became the main reasons for the postponement of the bilateral T20 series.

"The PCB and the West Indies Cricket Board had agreed that West Indies will tour Pakistan in November, but now it is unlikely to happen because of the smog and some other reasons," the official said, adding that the Meteorological Department had been unable to specify a timeframe for the dissipation of the smog.

He said both the boards are now deliberating other possible dates for the series.

The tour is expected to take place after March 2018, the official said.

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Khaleesi

Nov 06, 2017 10:09pm

Makes sense. Can't they be persuaded to play in Karachi if the stadium upgrade has been completed?

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Khurram

Nov 06, 2017 10:33pm

There is lot of smog in PCB planning as well.

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Mansoor

Nov 06, 2017 10:43pm

I guess PCB should rename its self to LCB, because they are primarily focused in Lahore

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Hassan (Karachi)

Nov 06, 2017 10:48pm

This is what happens when you setup all your matches in Lahore, do we not have other cities that can provide security? PCB, you have failed us.

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khurram

Nov 06, 2017 10:54pm

Karachohas zero smog... It is also safer than Lahore as there are no suicide blast threat here. Why these matches can't be scheduled in National stadium Karachi?

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistan

Nov 06, 2017 10:59pm

Is it smog or there is another reason?

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Vijay

Nov 06, 2017 11:16pm

If you cannot play in Punjab then don't come to Pakistan. is this the message Pakistan is sending to the world. It show the grip of Punjab in Pakistani Politics.

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Bilal Khan

Nov 06, 2017 11:17pm

@Hassan (Karachi) PCB want cricket in all the major cities but problem is other team players and management they don't want to visit karachi or any other place of Pakistan except Lahore, even they don't wanted to play in Lahore too but PCB after a lot of effort managed to agree them to play in Lahore. I know Karachiites are craving to see their ground full of crowd, enjoying cricket, but it will take time to win trust of foreign cricket boards to play in other cities. There is no discrimination at least in this matter people. Be patient and try to understand that it is not a cup of tea to make other countries agree to play in all of our cities.

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Cricketers

Nov 06, 2017 11:29pm

So pakistan don't have any other cricket field? What a shame..!

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DrKhan

Nov 06, 2017 11:30pm

These matches can be held at Sharjah and please take advice of weather people before finalising matches as nowadays environmental degradation and climate change is affecting economics, politics, diplomatic relations and even sports.

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Khany

Nov 06, 2017 11:46pm

Pakistan is a big country which has many Cricket Stadiums. Why cant they Schedule the dates to play in Karachi, Islamabad, Rawal Pindi, Mirpur, etc..

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Dr.Hilarious

Nov 06, 2017 11:58pm

welcome to the club!! Hang on tough

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RIZ

Nov 07, 2017 12:03am

What Kinda message PCB is trying to give to the world Lahore is not the whole Pakistan it's just one of the city and that's where Sri Lankan team got attacked. If Lahore can host international game than any other city can too. If PCB is serious bringing international cricket back match should be played in other cities too and please don't make excuses of grounds not ready. If PCB really wanted other cities to host grounds should have been ready and as far as security is concerned Pakistan forces can provide security anywhere in Pakistan.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Nov 07, 2017 12:16am

What a silly joke?

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VGP

Nov 07, 2017 12:23am

What a great excuse for skipping the tour

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Saad Malik

Nov 07, 2017 12:28am

PCB has probably decided to grow vegetables in the rest of the stadiums. That's good for the economy too!!

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Raj

Nov 07, 2017 12:40am

WI found a reason with blessings of BCCI.

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hanif

Nov 07, 2017 12:42am

This is what happened when you think Lahore is the only place where cricket can be played, idiots

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lodhi

Nov 07, 2017 12:54am

So fed up of watching these B grade games .. invite Ireland now to make even more records

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syed

Nov 07, 2017 12:56am

Ethnic bias at its peak. Match to be played in Lahore or none. Rest of the country is not Pakistan.?

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Yash

Nov 07, 2017 01:17am

@Khaleesi. No sir , Karachi is not in Punjab is the main reason. Why not go and play in Dubai?

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incompetentclowns

Nov 07, 2017 01:36am

@Khurram sometimes ya need a little smog to toughen up ur lungs.lmao

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incompetentclowns

Nov 07, 2017 01:36am

@Hassan (Karachi) i dont know what that means.

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Mirza

Nov 07, 2017 01:58am

So Lahore is all that Pakistan has. It has no other provinces or cities. Perhaps Lahore has been chosen because it is the only city where a visiting team was attacked!

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Qazi

Nov 07, 2017 02:23am

Why not Karachi - Is Pakistan just Lahore ?

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Zee

Nov 07, 2017 02:34am

Good job young man!

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Chacha

Nov 07, 2017 02:38am

What about other cities those are smog free

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Ash20

Nov 07, 2017 02:46am

Smog is surely not the reason. There surely will be some other reasons like players and board want extra money due to security issues like Zimbabwe or PSL players were paid or security issues.

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Ismail

Nov 07, 2017 02:51am

Smog!! How can smog stop play in stadium. By this logic all of lahore should stop working till smog goes away. Its just a lame excuse of pcb as they didn't want to come

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Pak-UK

Nov 07, 2017 03:02am

Makes sense. No point to hastle.. as much as we are desperate to bring more cricket home we must think them in practical and profitable way.

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Mehran

Nov 07, 2017 03:49am

I think the smog is more monetary in nature... I heard that they were asking for 10Cr PKR to come to pakistan?

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Pak

Nov 07, 2017 04:18am

@Mansoor Well said

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Hashim

Nov 07, 2017 04:23am

Why can they play in Rawalpindi, Multan, Karachi, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, or Gujranwala? Not to mention there is a stadium in Hyderabad as well. I can understand they will be reluctant to visit Peshawar, but its should not be that bad either.

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Mohajir

Nov 07, 2017 04:37am

West Indies ran away and PCB is blaming smog for it

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kerala

Nov 07, 2017 05:17am

Pakistani team's all opponents in t20 are always WI,Afghanistan, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh -Then repeat the cycle.PCB definitely know how to score points by not playing with top quality teams with good fitness &batsmen.

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O Hanif

Nov 07, 2017 05:37am

It is simple not a single good player wants to come to Pakistan until there is big reward (World XI) or lost of board pressure (Sri Lanka's team). This is as simple is this.

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Asif

Nov 07, 2017 06:16am

Makes sense, as Lahore is the only city in Pakistan.

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Khurram

Nov 07, 2017 06:19am

@Mansoor It’s Punjab Cricket Board.

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Dr Mohommed Iqbal Rojander

Nov 07, 2017 06:47am

Now Bangladesh, Seriously...

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Shakil USA

Nov 07, 2017 06:54am

Should alternate offer to play in Karachi.

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Ch beg mulla

Nov 07, 2017 06:59am

Anyways west indies c vs Pakistan would have been another dud

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Raj

Nov 07, 2017 07:05am

Year, come up with a better excuse. Entire Caribbean has similar problem when they burn cane too.

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Ghalib

Nov 07, 2017 07:14am

Well was it Pakistan tour or Lahore tour, PCB needs to be given a briefing on Geography of Pakistan. I think they are not aware of Pakistan beyond Lahore

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Khan USA

Nov 07, 2017 07:30am

Another lie by Sethi is exposed !

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Cricketers

Nov 07, 2017 07:35am

Pakistan have any other cricket ground?

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farhan

Nov 07, 2017 07:58am

Move the PCB headquarters to Islamabad from Lahore so we can have some fairness.

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M. Emad

Nov 07, 2017 07:58am

Bangladesh cricket team unlikely to visit Pakistan in the next 2-3 years due to security/air pollution (smog) reasons.

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Chaos

Nov 07, 2017 09:09am

@Khaleesi Karachi stadium upgrade will take ages especially under Sindh govt. Don't just spray ideas, think realistically.

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Shahid Abbas

Nov 07, 2017 09:21am

Kindly disclose the actual reasons of west indies cancelling the tour.It is purely because of security reasons.

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Mustafa

Nov 07, 2017 09:33am

is Lahore only place for cricket in Pakistan? what about Karachi and other cities of the Pakistan. There are smog in their mind. Double standard People.

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Francis D' Silva

Nov 07, 2017 09:34am

PCB should get the smog out of their thought process. If their planning to get International Cricket back to Pakistan, then progress of work should have been strictly monitored in all cities, where we have stadiums of international standards.

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asif

Nov 07, 2017 09:55am

Can't our best security forces provide required security in Peshawar, Karachi or other cities except Lahore?

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asif

Nov 07, 2017 09:56am

That happens when PCB=Punjab Cricket Board

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splash

Nov 07, 2017 10:24am

smog , from delhi to lahore everywhere.

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Syed Shahzad Bukhari

Nov 07, 2017 10:29am

No say against nature.

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Ahemad

Nov 07, 2017 10:42am

Looks like financials are the villain. WI( Cricket board demanded more than 25K USD per player and PCB needs time to gather the money. PCB was throwing large amounts to foreign players ( & now boards ) to have them come to Lahore. This model is never sustainable.

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FHB

Nov 07, 2017 10:53am

Shift the games to Karachi and Rawalpindi.

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Anees A.

Nov 07, 2017 11:11am

Never heard of any shuffling in schedule because of smog !

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Amer

Nov 07, 2017 11:12am

We should give an award to the monkey who is running Punjab.

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Cyrus Narielwalla

Nov 07, 2017 11:28am

There is no smog in Karachi, matches could be played in Karachi as well.

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Leo

Nov 07, 2017 12:28pm

Or perhaps security concerns.

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Gaur

Nov 07, 2017 12:29pm

Everyone knows the real reason, security.

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Roger

Nov 07, 2017 12:35pm

Delhi got worse pollution. But no one complaining. Money talks.

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Gaur

Nov 07, 2017 01:02pm

@Roger of course it does, and you don't have it.

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Ashraf Usman

Nov 07, 2017 01:06pm

Why not Karachi. Sethi seems to be a local councillor of Lahore rather than the Chairman PCB.

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Samrat

Nov 07, 2017 01:07pm

The truth is PCB couldn't afford the demands of Windies.

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Sarah1

Nov 07, 2017 01:42pm

Smog, is it? What are they planning to do? Land a plane into the stadium?

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Shamim

Nov 07, 2017 04:12pm

There is no other cricket stadium in any Pakistani city except Lahore where a cricket match can be held

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Tamed5

Nov 07, 2017 05:59pm

Don't allow them to play in Karachi as it is not safe. But yes international teams can play in Miramshah! Brilliant PCB

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Desi Dimag

Nov 07, 2017 06:56pm

But they won't be having any problems playing in Delhi smog.

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Nasir Jadran

Nov 07, 2017 08:28pm

PCB should have simultaneously worked on upgrading Karachi's Stadium and Hyderabad's Niaz Stadium where alternative matches could be played. Karachi also has Asghar Ali Shah Stadium it was a world class when it was built and it should be looked into it if the upkeep is the same. In any case Karachi and Hyderabad both deserve upgrade stadiums and parking facilities.

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Manzoor

Nov 07, 2017 08:35pm

Sad news for Pakistan especially for Pakistan cricket.

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Akhtar Quraishi

Nov 07, 2017 09:23pm

Lahore is great place for lots of other activities beside Cricket in which I was born but in Karachi. Some of best Batsman in Pakistan were in Karachi and I have learned a lot from them if you forget Hanif baba,Javed the lion heart fearless,non stop running machine Zaheer and modern days even Younus,Afridi also grew up in Karachi. So we as a Pakistani should not be discrimate about Kar. VS Lahore. But than again in 69 years I have not seen justice in Pakistan and that is reason my leaving Pak For US since 1972. Surprise the journalist from Karachi are so quite in fact a few report favourablly about PCB chief. Long live Lahore,Karachi,and Pakistan.

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JACKJONES

Nov 08, 2017 01:34am

They should consider playing in another city in Pakistan. However, I think delay is due to some other noise. Regarding team selection, I don't think the selectors have a good reason to exclude Fawad Alam. My advice to Fawad Alam is that you should seriously consider playing for another country, for example, Imran Tahir playing for South Africa. I have heard many interviews from the chief selector, PCB chairman and other key cricketers and I am not convinced that they will give you a chance. You have 5 to 8 years of good cricket left, depending on your fitness, and you should play for another country. They will appreciate and reward you for your talent, hardwork and passion. At the end cricket should win.

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Waseem Ahmed

Nov 08, 2017 02:10pm

Lahore is only one city in Pakistan nor others ???

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whitethunder

Nov 08, 2017 06:26pm

West Indies opted for Bangladesh Premier League instead of playing with Pakistan. That tells a true story.

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Ashraf Ehsaas

Nov 08, 2017 06:47pm

Why only Lahore? Can't state provide security to the cricket in other parts of the country? It seems as if only Punjab and in Punjab only Lahore is the whole Pakistan. This injustice with the fans of cricket from other areas should be stopped.

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Ashraf

Nov 09, 2017 05:18pm

Absolutely wrong information, majority of WI players are not willing to play in Pakistan. This is the actual truth

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