Tuesday January 1, 2013
Bangladesh shelve Pakistan tour over security
DHAKA: Bangladesh said yesterday it had shelved plans to become the first cricket team to tour Pakistan since a 2009 attack on Sri Lanka’s bus, with the head of the board saying there were fears for players’ safety.
“Bangladesh will not visit Pakistan for now,” Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief Nazmul Hassan told reporters in the capital Dhaka.
“We’ve made the decision after considering the overall security situation in Pakistan and the concern that our people have expressed over the safety of their players.”
Bangladesh had earlier indicated that they would play a Twenty20 and a one-day on Jan 12-13 respectively, both in Lahore. However officials did say that the decision was subject to a security review.
Pakistan have had to play their ‘home’ matches in venues ranging from Dubai to London ever since gunmen shot dead eight people and wounded seven Sri Lankan players in an audacious attack near the stadium in Lahore in March 2009.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf said on Dec 22 that their Bangladeshi counterparts had confirmed the tour was definitely on.
However Hassan said that Bangladesh had now informed the Pakistan board of its change of heart. — AFP
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