Bangladesh shelves Pakistan tour over security reason

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Bangladesh said on Monday 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 January 12 and 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 December 22 that that their Bangladeshi counterparts had confirmed that the tour was definitely on.
However Hassan said that Bangladesh had now informed the Pakistan board of its change of heart.
“We’ve sent a letter to Pakistan three days ago explaining our position. We’ve decided to wait and see,” said Hassan.
Bangladesh had also agreed to tour Pakistan in April this year but the event was blocked by Dhaka high court.

1 COMMENT

  1. Come on BCB Tell the Truth

    It's very strange that BCB has declined to send its cricket team to Pakistan, despite its written commitment, noted in the minutes of the ICC and ICC is watching this TAMASHA from side lines.

    BCB management must know that security concerns are everywhere in this world. Recently, West Indian cricket team's bus was pelted with stones in BD, after the BD team lost the match against WI team, with a huge margin.

    BCB management, should also know that many international events of different sports have been held peacefully in Pakistan, in the recent past.

    Moreover, the BCB should also be in the notice that in the last few days, Pakistani and Indian Hockey Federations have signed an agreement of reciprocal hockey series, to be played for five years; wherein, the series will commence with the Indian Hockey team's visit to Pakistan, in March 2013.

    So, it will be better for the BCB to show its true colours; and tell the world the real reasons for not going to Pakistan; and not hide behind the pseudo mantra of security concern, which was personally checked by the BD security officials and openly declared, that Pakistani security plan for the BD cricketers, was absolutely perfect and satisfactory.

    Here ICC must tell BCB that it has no right to play politics and unnecessarily malign Pakistan, on a non existent security issue.

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