Two bomb blasts in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore have led to a change of venue of a one-day match between the A teams of Pakistan and Australia scheduled for Friday, Pakistan team sources said.
Although an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board said the match had been shifted from the Bagh-e-Jinnah to Gaddafi stadium in Lahore due to heavy rain, team sources said the Australians had asked for the change of venue.
"The Australians held a meeting with PCB official Zakir Khan following the bomb blasts today. They had concerns over the safety of their players for the match," a Pakistan team source said.
He said as a result of negotiations it was decided that the board could provide better security at the enclosed and heavily manned Gaddafi stadium, which also houses the board headquarters.
Pakistan team coach Haroon Rasheed confirmed the match had been shifted but declined to comment on the reasons.
The board official said the venue change was promoted because there was no arrangement at the Bagh-e-Jinnah for quickly drying up the ground. "But we have excellent facilities at the Gaddafi stadium."
