Pakistan cricket officials on Tuesday voiced hope that South Africa would reschedule their cricket tour called off over security fears in Karachi last week.
”I talked to the United Cricket Board of South Africa’s chief executive, Gerald Majola, and he has conveyed to me that they would find a positive way before Tuesday evening to reschedule the tour,” Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Ramiz Raja said.
”I am confident that the tour will go ahead with three Tests and as many one-day games as originally planned.”
Reports from South Africa say Majola has convened a meeting of the South African Cricket management committee in Johannesburg on Tuesday to discuss a revised Pakistan tour schedule that scraps matches in Karachi and Peshawar.
The Graeme Smith-led Proteas were due to arrive in Karachi on Monday but South African officials called off the tour on Saturday, citing security fears following a bomb blast in the southern port city of Karachi.
”They had misconceptions about Friday’s blast that it was a car bomb and after talking to our security officials, they got the clear picture that the blast was not linked to terrorism,” said Raja.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairperson Tauqir Zia on Monday threatened to take the matter to the International Cricket Council dispute committee if the matter was not resolved and a rescheduled tour did not materialise.
The United Cricket Board of South Africa had demanded the relocation of matches scheduled for Karachi and the border town of Peshawar after the South African foreign office advised them to keep away from the two cities over security fears.
A three-member United Cricket Board delegation visited the two venues last week and were briefed by security personnel in Pakistan who assured the delegation that South African cricketers would be provided security normally reserved for heads of state.
Raja said Pakistan had given South Africa options of different venues.
Rawalpindi and Lahore are the main venues for the rescheduled series ”but we would have to work on the revised itinerary as television coverage needs to be adjusted because there is also a series in India”, he added. — Sapa-AFP