da dobrowin： The scheduled West Indies tour of Pakistan, less than amonth off and already in doubt because of the stillunsettled situation in adjoining Afghanistan to the west,became even more unlikely yesterday as a new militaryconflict simmered with India,
da betano casino： Tony Cozier28-Dec-2001The scheduled West Indies tour of Pakistan, less than amonth off and already in doubt because of the stillunsettled situation in adjoining Afghanistan to the west,became even more unlikely yesterday as a new militaryconflict simmered with India, its neighbour to the east.The two cricket-playing nations, bitter enemies since theygained independence from Britain in 1947, again prepared forwar over the disputed territory of Kashmir, increasing thepossibility that the three Tests and three One-DayInternationals would have to be staged at less tense,neutral venues.According to an itinerary issued by the Pakistan CricketBoard (PCB) three weeks ago, the West Indies would arrive onJanuary 25 and play Tests at Rawalpindi February 2-4,Peshawar February 11-15 and Faisalabad February 19-23, andOne-Dayers at Lahore February 28, Multan March 3 and KarachiMarch 6.West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Reverend Wes Halland chief executive Gregory Shillingford were yesterdayreluctant to discuss the issue until hearing from thePakistan Cricket Board (PCB).But they confirmed they were awaiting an answer to theirlast correspondence to the PCB on December 12, the daybefore the terrorist attack on the Indian parliament thatprompted the present build-up of troops and artillery oneither side of the Kashmir border.As we have already noted in media statements and in ourcorrespondence with the Pakistan board, we have consistentlyunderlined our commitment to playing the series, but we havealso maintained that we have concerns about the safety ofPakistan as a venue, Shillingford said.Obviously, we are keen to be kept abreast of alldevelopments of which the problem with India is the latest,but we have had no reply, as yet, to our last communicationof December 12, he added. Time is getting short and we areanxious to complete negotiations.Shillingford said there had been no response to the WICBrequest for a reconnaissance visit by team manager RickySkerritt and a West Indies Players’ Associationrepresentatives to assess the situation for themselves.In light of the uncertainty in Afghanistan and even more sothe escalation of tension over Kashmir, both widely reportedin the Caribbean and international media, Hall might find itimpossible to justify sanctioning the tour this time.If the WICB does decide to seek a shift to neutral venues,it would have to seek the approval of the InternationalCricket Council (ICC).At a meeting of all its members in Kuala Lumpur in October,the ICC agreed to let Pakistan, or any other countrysimilarly affected, meet their commitments under its tenyear programme of home-and-away tours at alternative venues.Cricket in some countries, most notably Pakistan, is in thefrontline of world events, ICC president Malcolm Gray saidafter the Kuala Lumpur meeting. We need to adopt creativesolutions to support those affected and to overcome theseproblems.PCB chairman General Tauqir Zia claimed at the time that itwas safe to play in Pakistan but added that if outsideperception is that it is not, then we have to find analternative venue.It would be a home fixture so we should have the usualbenefits like preparing the pitch, he added.Shajah, one of the United Arab Emirates in the Arabian gulf,would be the likeliest location. Its stadium has staged moreOne-Day Internationals than any other ground since it wasopened in the early 1980s, but never a Test.
