NEW DELHI, Aug 2: Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram on Tuesday criticised England’s decision not to play a Test match in Karachi later this year, saying his country was being unfairly targeted in security matters.

“Our cricket boards ought to be stronger. Once we have promised foolproof security, there is no point in bowing down to the pressure tactics of visiting teams,” Wasim told the Press Trust of India (PTI).

England refused to play a five-day Test match in Karachi during their forthcoming tour of Pakistan in October-December, preferring to opt for a One-day International there.

There will also be no match in Peshawar due to its proximity to the violence-prone border with Afghanistan. Wasim, a regular in English county cricket during his playing days, said Australia’s decision to remain in England for the Ashes series despite security fears in London would have been different if they were in Pakistan.

“Look at Australia, had they been playing in Pakistan now instead of England and there was a bomb blast, they would have disappeared within a couple of hours,” Wasim said. Some 56 people, including four suicide bombers, died in four separate bomb blasts in London on July 7. There was a bungled repeat on July 21 when the bombs failed to go off.

Wasim said cricket boards should have more faith in what governments tell them instead of relying on their own security experts.

“These security guys have good fun, the trip is like a holiday for them, they collect their money and that’s it,” he said.

“I think the security issue should be left to the governments, they are very much capable of handling these issues.”

In the aftermath of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks, teams from Australia and the West Indies have refused to play in Pakistan because of security fears.

Karachi had earlier been rejected as a Test venue by South Africa and India after a bomb blast outside the New Zealand’s team hotel in May 2002 killed 14 people including 11 French naval engineers.

England will play three Tests — in Multan, Faisalabad and Lahore — and five One-day Internationals during the tour from Oct 26 to Dec 21.—AFP