West Indies pull out of Pakistan tour

The West Indies pulled out of a scheduled tour of Pakistan on Tuesday to become the third international team to refuse to tour there since the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman confirmed to Reuters from Lahore that the West Indies cricket board (WICB) has informed it that it is not willing to send its team to Pakistan in the current climate of tension.

The WICB said it would, however, be willing to play its forthcoming series against Pakistan at a neutral venue.

"I can confirm we have received such a letter from the West Indies board and we are looking at it," the spokesman said.

New Zealand and Sri Lanka have also pulled out of scheduled tours there after the September 11 attacks.

West Indies' tour, comprising three Tests and three one-day internationals, had been planned from January 25 to March 6.

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Mail Cricket Editor