PCB chief optimistic of Aussies touring Pakistan

Pakistan's cricket relations with Australia might sink to its lowest ebb if this October's series fails to materialize as scheduled.

Frustration is already mounting within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after New Zealand Cricket (NZC) ditched them for this month's golden jubilee one-day tournament in Kenya, International Cricket Council's double standards when it financially compensated the West Indies but ignored Pakistan, and India's continued refusal to play here that has already incurred losses around $25million.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf has guaranteed security for the Australians and has also spoken to Prime Minister John Howard. But consequences could be severe if the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) buckles under players pressure and refuses to send its team here for the tour scheduled between Oct 1 and 24. But PCB chairman, Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, remained optimistic that the series would be played in Pakistan, arguing that his Australian counterparts were keen and cooperative.

But he also dropped the first hint of what lies ahead if the ACB persists to honour its commitment elsewhere but Pakistan.

"I might decide against making a return tour to Australia in 2004. That is certainly one of the options available," he told Dawn Thursday.

Australia's reluctance to tour Pakistan has already forced the PCB to shift the Aug 29 to Sept 7 tri-nation one-day series in Kenya.

Tauqir further said he would activate the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) which this February passed a resolution that no member country would undertake any tour to the country that doesn't tour Pakistan.

"Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and if Australia doesn't tour Pakistan, then I don't think any Asian country would be visiting them," he explained, adding: "Naturally I would motivate and activate them to stick to the understanding and show unity and support for the affected member country which in this case is Pakistan."

Sri Lanka are to tour Australia for the Dec 13 to Jan 27 triangular one-day series also involving the host nation and England. But their appearance there might also run into snags if the ACC puts its foot down and advises Sri Lanka board to follow the MoU it signed in Sharjah.

Tauqir said he would also take up the matter with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and persuade them to exert influence and play their part.

"The two Australians - Trevor Chappell and Dennis Waight - are here helping the Pakistan squad and they have no security problems. And as regards security, its a global issue nowadays and no one can guarantee that a suicide bomber would not act.

The PCB chairman clarified that the matter was now in the hands of the two governments who were dealing at their level.

"It is now no more a matter between the two boards. The heads of state are involved and if the ACB can't trust Gen Musharraf's words, then I am afraid we will have to review our relationship," he said, while all but ruling out the option of playing the Test series at the neutral venue.

Gen Musharraf has talked to Australian Prime Minister John Howard for "25 minutes" and has urged him to convince the ACB to send the team, he said.

"The Australian Prime Minister has been very kind and has assured him of his full cooperation. But it is the Australian High Commission in Islamabad that has yet to give the ACB the go-ahead for the tour," Tauqir said.

"You see after Gen Musharraf has guaranteed players safety, it means all the government agencies and machinery will be involved. "But at the same time, if the ACB doesn't send their team, than that would mean ignoring President's words and I don't think anyone would dare to let down the President."

Australia's arguments as regards players' security appears to be a case of double standards. Its athletes are participating in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester which are being staged after more than 200 were seriously injured in a bomb blast six years ago. Similarly, there was a bomb blast just outside the Atlanta Olympics main stadium while in 1972 a group of Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinians inside the Munich Olympic Village. Australia continues to send its sportsmen to the greatest sports show on earth.

On the contrary, Pakistan has always given prime importance to its commitments but not at the expense of its athletes.

Pakistan, in 1999, undertook a difficult tour of India on the assurances of Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and overlooked death threats by Hindu extremists Shiv Sena who even dug up the pitch at the Feroze Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi.

Likewise, Pakistan will be reaching Harare, Zimbabwe, on Nov 1 for two Tests and five one-day internationals despite the ongoing law and order problem in that country. Ironically, Australia, earlier this year, refused to tour the same African country.

"If we can send our teams and trust the security guarantees of the host boards and nations, but don't the people trust us. And if security is the issue, then it is just not confined to Pakistan. It is a global crisis. If we have to beat it, then we don't have to surrender before the terrorists or a group of crazy people who think terrorism is the solution to all problems," Tauqir said, adding: "A plane crash doesn't stop us from flying."