PCB chief plans India visit to allay tour concerns

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, will visit India later this month in a bid to allay concerns within the BCCI over India's tour of Pakistan next year. Doubts over the tour have recently arisen in the Indian board, which is awaiting a security assessment from the government.

"The chairman [Ijaz Butt] will meet BCCI officials later this month and convince them to tour Pakistan," the PCB's chief operating officer, Saleem Altaf, said on Saturday. "We are very optimistic the tour will go ahead as planned."

Earlier this week, PCB officials had met with Indian diplomats in Pakistan. Pakistan's prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, said his government would ensure proper security arrangements for the series.

India's tour, from January 4 to February 19, includes three Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 international. Altaf said the PCB would organise the series in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates should India refuse to tour Pakistan. "We have these three alternate venues in mind to organise the series," he said.

India visited Pakistan in June-July for the Asia Cup this year, but concerns increased after the Champions Trophy, due to be held in September, was postponed following security concerns by certain participating nations. Last week, a tour by India's junior hockey team to Pakistan was scrapped at the last minute after the Indian government refused to approve security plans offered by Pakistan.

However, it is understood the security the PCB will provide will be of a far higher level - as has been the case in the past.