Pakistan cricket officials said on Thursday they might move two matches against South Africa from Peshawar and Rawalpindi, but denied any action would be linked to security concerns.
”There may be changes in two venues of one-day internationals in the home series against South Africa, but it’s an internal decision and has nothing to do with security,” Pakistan Cricket Board director of operations Zakir Khan said.
South Africa are due to tour Pakistan in September and October to play two Tests and five one-day internationals.
They were scheduled to take part in a one-day match at Peshawar, where they refused to play in 2003 because of security fears due to its close proximity to Afghanistan.
They are also due to play a match in Rawalpindi, twin city to capital Islamabad, where violence has erupted in the aftermath of a raid on a radical mosque last month that left more than 100 people dead.
Recent reports from South Africa suggested the team had concerns over playing in Pakistan because of the deteriorating security situation.
Cricket South Africa general manager Brian Basson told a newspaper earlier that cricket bosses were worried about the situation in Pakistan but their tour was still on.
South Africa have confirmed a tour itinerary in which they play a Test in the south-western city of Karachi, where they also refused to play on security concerns four years ago.
More than 40 people were killed in Karachi two months ago in some of Pakistan’s worst political violence.
Khan said the possible venue change was an internal matter.
Meanwhile, a Cricket Australia delegation was in Pakistan to assess security and venue arrangements for next month’s A team tour and an under-19 team tour in October. — AFP
