Source: Sify

Lahore: Australia’s much talked about tour of Pakistan next year might just be saved after a timely intervention of International Cricket Council (ICC) which also raises a huge possibility that the matches could be shifted to Australia.
Earlier, there were speculations that Australia’s tour of Pakistan scheduled for March-April next year could be cancelled following the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on Thursday.

ICC Chief Executive, Malcolm Speed made it very clear that the game’s governing body can transfer the much-awaited series to Australia if Pakistan are willing to take that option.But top Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials had already said that they would not allow the series to be played on a neutral venue. Speed was quoted as saying by Australian media that ”things needed to settle down before any decisions could be made” and pointed out ”cricket was a game played in dangerous countries.” Australia last toured Pakistan in 1998 under the captaincy of Mark Taylor. In 2002 they cancelled a tour of Pakistan because of security fears and the series was played in Colombo and Sharjah.

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Tags: australia tour, international cricket board, Pakistan