da betobet： The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) said it was too early to react toconflicting reports Australia will play Pakistan at a neutral venuelater this year.
da bet vitoria： AAP02-Jul-2002The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) said it was too early to react toconflicting reports Australia will play Pakistan at a neutral venuelater this year.Australia’s tour of Pakistan remained in doubt for security fears afterNew Zealand cancelled its tour in May after a bomb blast killed 11people outside the New Zealand hotel.That risk was escalated by the increased tensions between Pakistan andIndia over the disputed Kashmir region.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released a statement confirmingAustralia’s tour in October would be played outside Pakistan. But PCBdirector Brigadier Munawar Rana later dismissed the statement, saying adecision was weeks away and that no formal decision had been madedespite talks with the ACB last week. “The accuracy of the statement isthis: that actually we don’t want the Australians to rush into adecision, although ultimately it may come down to third venues,”Brigadier Rana said.”We want international politics to come into play a bit. “If India andPakistan back off a bit on their confrontation at the moment, then theremay be a chance for the Australians to decide to come to Pakistan, itmay happen in two or three weeks’ time.”ACB chief executive James Sutherland could not be contacted, but an ACBspokesman said a decision was likely to be made mid-July.The spokesman said the ACB could not react until Pakistan made a finaldecision on where the series would be played. “It’s Pakistan’s decisionbecause it’s their tour,” he said.”It’s out of our hands at the moment because we’re not in the drivingseat.”Sri Lanka, Kenya, Bangladesh, Tangier in Morocco, Sharjah and Englandare among the venues where the Australia-Pakistan Test series could beplayed. Tangier has been granted status to host Tests and will host itsfirst international tournament in August, when Pakistan, South Africaand Sri Lanka play a one-day series. The ACB cancelled this year’s tourof Zimbabwe because of security concerns.Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan are scheduled to play a one-dayseries in August, with Australia and Pakistan scheduled to play a Testseries in October. Pakistan has ruled out playing the Test series inAustralia.Under ICC rulings, a series hit by security problems can be played at aneutral venue provided both countries agree.
