KARACHI, July 28: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday hoped that the forthcoming England tour of the country would be smooth despite the long delay in announcement of the itinerary.

Saleem Altaf, the PCB director of cricket operations, told Dawn that the tour was never in doubt while brushing aside media speculation following the terrorist attacks in London on July 7 after it emerged that some of the British bombers had links with Pakistan.

“I can confirm that it was all speculation,” he said from Lahore.

The PCB official was optimistic that England would sent their strongest teams while dispelling media reports that a few players have expressed security concerns and might pull out of the Pakistan tour.

“We can only hope that they (England) send out their best team. But since it is their internal matter, there is nothing much we can do except to hope for the best,” the former Test paceman commented.

Saleem further stated that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wanted to shift the opening Test from Multan to Rawalpindi because of security concern over extensive travelling from the ground to the hotel.

“But we told them (the ECB officials) that Multan would host the Test match because it has one of the best grounds in Pakistan. As regards security, we told them that they should not unduly worry about it because the government will take of all such matters,” he pointed out.

He added the English board was concerned about the accommodation for the team, the large media contingent and the band of England supporters.

“However, we managed to convince the ECB officials about arrangements in Multan.”

He also confirmed that all One-day Internationals will be day/night fixtures starting early because of prevailing weather conditions at that time of the year.

Meanwhile, the PCB official said a two-member Australian delegation will be visiting Pakistan next month to inspect facilities for Australia ‘A’s tour of Pakistan in September.

Our Lahore Correspondent adds: After weeks of speculations, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Thursday gave a green signal for England’s tour of Pakistan later this year.

The ECB confirmed the tour by approving the itinerary that includes two three-day games, three Test and five One-day Internationals and a warm-up one-dayer.

The ECB, however, stuck to its stand by refusing to play a Test at Karachi or as alternate back-to-back ODIs as proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“The tour programme has been finalised after consultation with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and we are pleased to announce the itinerary,” said a PCB statement.

Not for the first time, the PCB played second fiddle to its counterpart as the ECB never budged from its stance of having England playing a solitary one-dayer in Karachi.

The PCB chairman Shaharyar M. Khan, still in London, has spent well over a month in a bid to convince the ECB to either play a Test or back-to-back one-dayers in Karachi, but failed in his attempt.

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