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Rediff.com  » Sports » Miandad flays PCB over England request

Miandad flays PCB over England request

July 30, 2005 16:24 IST
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Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has criticised his country's cricket authorities for allowing England to play just one tour match in the southern city of Karachi.

"It would have been better to scrap the tour," Miandad told Reuters on Saturday.

"The [Pakistan Cricket] Board has not done any service to the country by bowing to the pressure of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

"The Board has to take a stand or the image of Pakistan and Karachi will continue to suffer as touring sides dictate where they want to play."

England rejected proposals to play a Test or two One-Day Internationals in the volatile port city because of security concerns but have agreed to play a one-dayer in Karachi on December 15.

England's tour of Pakistan, starting on October 26, will include three Tests at Multan, Faisalabad and Lahore and five One-Day Internationals -- at Karachi and two each at Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Miandad, who played 124 Tests for his country, said Pakistan should have told the ECB to play more matches in Karachi or face a boycott by Pakistan of their scheduled tour to England next year.

He added the attacks in London on July 7 had shown no country or city was safe.

"Every cricket playing nation has a duty to give the message: 'We are not going to be deterred'," said Miandad.

"When our government is assuring them the best security arrangements, there is no justification for their [England's] concerns about Karachi."

Karachi has been shunned as an international cricket venue by several touring teams.

After 9/11, Australia and West Indies cancelled cricket tours to Pakistan citing security and safety concerns, and the series were relocated to neutral venues.

South Africa also refused to play in Karachi in 2003 and last year India rejected a proposal for a Test match in Karachi.

New Zealand cut short a tour of Pakistan in 2002 after a bomb blast outside their hotel in Karachi.

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Source: REUTERS
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