PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf expressed his disappointment over the stay order issued by the Dhaka High Court stalling the Bangladesh tour to Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Cricket Boards (PCB) chief operating officer, Bangladesh had informed the PCB of its decision to not tour Pakistan. “The boards of both countries should have resolved the matter on their own,” Ashraf said.
The Dhaka High Court on Thursday had ordered the national team’s upcoming tour of Pakistan to be postponed for at least four weeks due to security fears. “It is astonishing to note that a matter lacking any legal issue has been dragged in the court by petitioners who appear to have vested interest and want to jeopardize the Pakistan Bangladesh cricketing relations,” said a press release of the PCB. “The matter before the court prima facie does not contain any legal issue and it is extremely disturbing to note for the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistan cricket fans and the world cricketing nations that such an adverse order has been passed to block a bilateral cricket series. The PCB has been extremely disappointed due to the creation of this new situation,” it said. Bangladesh were set to play a 50-over game and a Twenty20 international on April 29 and 30 in Lahore, the first international cricket matches in the country following the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus. The court in Dhaka ordered Bangladesh to postpone their tour of the troubled country due to security fears. The Tigers were set to play a 50-over game and a Twenty20 international on April 29 and 30 in Lahore, the first international cricket matches in Pakistan for three years. But the high court in Dhaka ordered the team to delay the visit by at least four weeks while Bangladesh cricket authorities explained why the tour should go ahead despite security worries. “Bangladesh’s Cricket Board have informed us that they cannot tour us on the agreed dates of April 29 and 30.
It’s disappointing,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed was quoted by a foreign news agency. International cricket has been suspended in Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus during the third Test in Lahore in March 2009.
