Kenya to replace NZ in Nairobi tri-series

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Monday that Kenya would replace New Zealand in a triangular series also involving Pakistan and Australia to be played in Nairobi from August 29.

"We had sent out an invitation to Kenya to play in the triangular series and they have accepted it," PCB Director Chishty Mujahid told Reuters about the tournament switched from Pakistan because of security concerns in the country.

The PCB was forced to approach the Kenyan Cricket Association after New Zealand turned down an invitation last week to play the triangular series citing their hectic international schedule.

The series was shifted to Nairobi after the Australian board and senior players voice concerns about security in Pakistan.

"The tournament itinerary will be released soon but it will be held from August 29th to September 7th. That is confirmed," Mujahid said.

He said no final decision had been taken yet on where Pakistan would play their scheduled Test series under the Future Tours Programme (FTP) against Australia.

"As things stand we still remain confident that we will be able to convince Australia to play the Tests in Pakistan in October. But nothing is finalised as yet," Mujahid said.

NEUTRAL VENUES

The Bangladesh capital Dhaka and Sri Lanka have been named as possible alternative neutral venues for the Test matches if Australia still refuse to tour Pakistan.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said recently he would personally ask the Australian government and diplomats to send their team to Pakistan for the Tests.

The PCB has also said it was willing to provide top-level security for the Australians if they decided to tour Pakistan.

"We are trying our best to have the Tests in Pakistan. We are also willing to give all-out security assurances. But a lot of work still remains to be done," Mujahid said.

Pakistan has been hit hard with cancelled or changed tours following the September 11 attacks on the United States, with foreign teams expressing concerns over the security situation because of bomb attacks in Pakistan and war in neighbouring Afghanistan.

New Zealand returned home in May after aborting the second Test in Karachi following a bomb explosion near their hotel which killed 11 French engineers and two Pakistanis.

Pakistan says it has lost more than $20 million in revenues because of cancelled or changed tours.

"We were hoping that this season, with Australia and New Zealand as the touring sides, we would make up for some of the lost revenues. But unfortunately we still face tough conditions to ensure that we are not isolated in international cricket," Mujahid said.

Mail Cricket Editor