India calls off Pakistan cricket tour

India has called off its proposed cricket tour of Pakistan next year amid simmering tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours over last month's Mumbai attacks, an official said on Thursday.

"The proposed tour of the Indian cricket team to Pakistan stands cancelled,"

Rajeev Shukla, a senior official from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, told reporters.

India were scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match during the five-week tour from January 6 to February 19.

"We received a communication from the government stating that in the present circumstances, it is not feasible to tour Pakistan,"

Ratnakar Shetty, chief administrative officer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said, without elaborating.

He said no discussions had taken place over whether the series could instead have been played at neutral venues.

Shetty denied that the decision could wreck the next Cricket World Cup, which is meant to be jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"It will not affect the 2011 World Cup as that is a different tournament,"

he said, adding he believed that relations between the Indian and Pakistani cricket boards would not suffer due to India scrapping the tour.

But Pakistan cricket officials said they were unhappy with Thursday's announcement.

"We take this decision as disappointing -- something which will hurt Pakistan cricket badly -- but it was beyond our control,"

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt told a foreign news agency.

Indian Sports Minister Manohar Singh Gill had said last week he was not in favour of the team playing in Pakistan when "people from their soil were indulging in mass murder in India."

It was to have been the fifth series between the two countries since 2004, when cricket ties resumed after a 15-year gap caused by cross-border tensions.

Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar had said it would be "impossible" for India to tour Pakistan in the current climate.

"Diplomatically, there has been a fall-out between the two nations and I don't see why cricket won't follow suit. So at the moment it is impossible to go ahead with the tour,"

he told a television channel recently.

The tour was first put in doubt when the Indian government denied permission to the national junior hockey team to visit Pakistan.

Indian minister opposes cricket team’s tour of Pakistan

India’s sports minister is opposed to the national cricket team going ahead with next month’s scheduled tour of Pakistan in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

India’s cricket board is awaiting approval from the government, but the comments on Friday by Sports Minister MS Gill make it unlikely that will be granted.

The minister said it was not the right time to play cricket with Pakistan when

"people from their soil were indulging in mass murder in India,”

the Indian news agency quoted Gill as saying.

The minister said he was not in favour of the Indian team playing in Pakistan, but it was up to the government to make a final decision.

“Is it possible for one team to arrive in Mumbai and indulge in mass murder, and have another team go and play cricket in the winter afternoon sun at Lahore, immediately after?”

Gill was quoted as saying.

The Indian government has blamed elements in Pakistan for the attacks on the country's financial capital which left 172 dead, including nine gunmen, and wounded more than 300.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is awaiting a response from the government on its request for security clearance for the tour.

India are scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match during the five-week tour from January 6 to February 19.

Cancellation of Pakistan tour is media’s speculation: BCCI

Vice president of Indian cricket board Rajiv Shukla said that the Indian government did not refuse to permit the Indian team for touring Pakistan and the news of the tour cancellation is a mere media speculation.

He said that the tour at the moment has not been cancelled.

Rajiv Shukla said that the terrorists are nobody’s friends.

He said that 80 Muslims were killed in the Mumbai attacks.

Rawalpindi ruled out for India's Pakistan tour

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Ijaz Butt on Tuesday said Rawalpindi has been dropped as a venue for the upcoming home series against India because the central city's stadium is not ready.

"We will not be able to finish the renovation work that includes the relaying of the outfield, so the matches scheduled for Rawalpindi will be shifted to other cities,"

the PCB chairman said.

Rawalpindi was scheduled to host the second of three Test series and the third match of the five limited-overs international match series.

Ijaz Butt said Faisalabad or Multan, due to host one-day internationals during the India series, were likely replacements.

Rawalpindi's Pindi cricket stadium was also excluded from the list of venues for the Champions Trophy, which was to be held in September this year but was put off for 12 months due to security fears.

Pakistan's main concern remains to convince India that issues over safety should not stop the tourists visiting.

The Indian government's refusal to send its junior hockey team to Pakistan earlier this month raised fears that the cricket series might suffer the same fate.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India last week told the PCB it had sought New Delhi's clearance for the tour and would give further details early next month.

Butt said he hoped the tour would continue as scheduled and briefed the Indian high commissioner Satya Pal about PCB's plans for the series.

"I am hopeful that India will tour and we are preparing for it,"

said Butt, who refused to disclose any details of his meeting -- his second with the Indian high commissioner in a week.

Butt added that he would travel to India early next month to allay the country's security concerns.

"Our first priority should be that they come to Pakistan as per schedule but in the worst scenario we have back up plans of playing the series at neutral venues,"

said Butt.

Pakistan is in talks with the organisers in the United Arab Emirates to host the India series in case the need arises.

India to tour Pakistan next year despite bomb blasts

India will play a Test and a one-day international in Rawalpindi on their tour of Pakistan early next year despite the latest bombing in adjoining Islamabad, official said Tuesday.

The blast on Saturday evening devastated the five-star Marriott hotel and killed at least 60 people, including at least four foreigners.

"India will play a Test and a one-day international in Rawalpindi because the itinerary was approved by India before the Islamabad blast,"

Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said.

"We hope normalcy returns by the time India tours us."

The Champions Trophy, the second biggest tournament after the World Cup, was due to be held earlier this month but was cancelled due to security concerns in Pakistan.

The Indian team stayed in the Marriott on their last two visits in 2004 and 2006. They also played a Test and a one-day in Rawalpindi in 2004 and a one-day in 2006.

Naghmi said Rawalpindi is one of the most important venues in Pakistan.

"We have recently renovated the stadium in Rawalpindi and hope when India tours us all will be well,"

said Naghmi.

The Indian team will arrive in Karachi on January 4 to play three Tests, five one-day Internationals and a Twenty20 on their 47-day tour.

The tour begins with a three-day side match at Hyderabad starting January 6, while Karachi will host the first Test from January 13 to 17.

The teams will play the second Test in Rawalpindi from January 21 to 25 and the third in Lahore from January 29 to February 2.

The one-day series will start from February 6 in Faisalabad. The remaining matches will be played in Lahore (February 8), Rawalpindi (February 11), Multan (February 14) and Karachi (February 17). Karachi will host the only Twenty20 match on February 19.

This will be India's third tour of Pakistan since the two countries revived bilateral cricket series in 2004.

India stalled the ties on political grounds in 2000. India's tour of Pakistan in 2004 was their first to Pakistan since 1990.

Pakistan also toured India in 2005 -- their first since 1999 -- and then in 2007.

Itinerary of India team's tour to Pakistan:
Jan 4: arrival in Karachi
Jan 6-8: Three-day side match - Hyderabad
Jan 13-17: First Test - Karachi
Jan 21-25: Second Test -Rawalpindi
Jan 29-Feb 2: Third Test - Lahore
Feb 6: First one-day international - Faisalabad
Feb 8: Second one-day international - Lahore
Feb 11: Third one-day international - Rawalpindi
Feb 14: Fourth one-day international - Multan
Feb 17: Fifth one-day international - Karachi
Feb 19: Twenty20 match - Karachi.

Indian cricket team not touring Pakistan

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Dr Nasim Ashraf said that the Indian cricket board (BCCI) had expressed its willingness for tour of Pakistan but it was put off after the Indian players’ refusal.

Talking with media at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Dr Nasim Ashraf told that the PCB had invited India to play three One-day Internationals in Pakistan but the BCCI expressed its inability due to busy schedule of the Indian team.

However, it was assured that the India’s team would visit Pakistan before the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy.

The chairman PCB said that the Indian team’s refusal would not make any difference to the Australia’s tour of Pakistan.

He said that the negotiations are in process with the Cricket Australia and it is hoped that the Australian team would tour Pakistan from March 29.

Regarding a question asked about Shoaib Akhtar, Dr Nasim Ashraf said that Shoaib’s case is with the disciplinary committee and after receiving the final report it would be presented before the Board’s next meeting.

Asif and Gul all set to be seen in action

Pakistan are expected to receive a pace boost for next month’s proposed one-day series against India as fit-again pacers Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul are set to return to the line-up.

But a huge question mark continues to hang over the possibility of Shoaib Akhtar making his international return against Pakistan’s biggest rivals in the series that is likely to take place from March 14-18.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finalised a charge-sheet against the enigmatic fast bowler and its disciplinary committee is expected to announce its verdict on the player’s case next week.

Apart from Shoaib’s case, things look rosy for the Pakistan team that is getting ready to take on world champions Australia at home later this spring.

And the biggest reason for such a scenario is the expected return of the previously injured pace duo of Asif and Gul.

Pakistan have been playing with an under-strength bowling attack since last October’s home series against South Africa during which Asif aggravated his elbow injury and has since been unavailable for national duty.

Asif, 25, who is regarded as the most lethal pacer in Pakistan’s bowling arsenal, last played for Pakistan in the Multan one-dayer against South Africa last October. He missed the tour of India and also failed to regain his match fitness for this year’s home series against Zimbabwe.

But the lanky medium pacer has now completely recovered after undergoing key-hole surgery on his elbow in Australia.

Asif, who has taken 51 Test wickets from 11 matches and 31 ODI scalps from 29 appearances, is now all set to return to the Pakistan line-up next month if India confirm their participation in the series.

The Indian cricket board was supposed to inform the PCB about their decision on the proposed series on Saturday. But PCB officials say they are yet to receive a confirmation on the series.

Umar Gul’s case is a bit trickier as his chronic back problem make him a doubtful starter for the India assignment.

Gul, 23, broke down after the ODI series against India and had to miss the three Tests and later the games against Zimbabwe. He has been in training for a few weeks but complains of a stiff back every now and then.

But chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said on Saturday that he has received ‘positive reports’ about the bowler.

“We are hearing positive reports about both Asif and Gul and will love to have them in the bowling attack,”

he told ‘The News’.

Salahuddin, a former Test cricketer, said that Pakistan will need all the fire in their bowling attack as they will most probably be taking on two of the world’s leading teams — India and Australia — in March and April.

“We have been a bit unfortunate in recent months because some of our frontline bowlers were injured,”

he said.

“But now we will be getting back soon and that is great news considering the fact that Pakistan will be playing against top teams like Australia and India,”

he said.

The chief selector said that unlike Asif and Gul, he was unaware whether Shoaib will be available for the home season.

When contacted by this correspondent, a top PCB official said that a charge-sheet has been prepared against the bowler and a final decision on his case is expected from the Board’s disciplinary committee next week.

Indian Cricket team to tour Pakistan next month

The Pakistan Cricket Board has formally extended an invitation to India so that the three One-day match series could take place next month.

Talking to Geo News here on Thursday, PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Shafqat Naghmi said the BCCI had given a positive response in this regard. He said that three One-day match series was likely to be played between two traditional rivals in the mid of March 2008.

“They have shown a positive response, however, we have not yet received any official confirmation from the BCCI”,

PCB’s COO added.

Shafqat said the proposed series was not an alternate to the Australian visit since according to newly held negotiation; the Australian team could tour Pakistan in March.

Pakistan mull ODIs with India if Australia pull out

Pakistan are considering inviting India for a quickfire series of ODIs if, as is becoming increasingly likely, Australia pull out of their scheduled tour in March-April.

Doubts about whether Australia will come for their first tour in nearly a decade have increased day-by-day over the last week, the latest coming from Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain.

The Pakistan board has all along insisted it's priority is to get Australia to come to visit, but has privately admitted they are working on alternative options, which include inviting another country over.

And a well-placed source revealed to Cricinfo that informal talks had been held with the BCCI about a series of ODIs in Pakistan in case Australia don't come.

"There have been informal discussions with the BCCI but nothing has been firmed up. Things will become clearer in a day or so,"

the source said.

"The first priority is still to get Australia to come over but if they don't come, options have to be and are being examined."

Two PCB officials, including the chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi are currently touring India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for bilateral board talks regarding scheduling ahead of an ICC meeting to devise the Future Tours Programme (FTP) till 2013. The ostensible purpose of the mission is to fill the gaps in Pakistan's schedule in the current FTP.

The current Pakistan administration is said to be unhappy over their predecessor's work on the last FTP, which has left Pakistan with a number of gaps in their cricketing calendar.

"Pakistan played half the number of Tests that Australia did according to that FTP and that is something that needs to be rectified,"

the source said. But as a result of Australia's hesitancy, the trip has become an opportunity for Pakistan to try and arrange an alternative contest with countries who are free in March-April.

Both boards, however, are officially denying the development. India, as ever, is hemmed in by a hectic schedule. Between their return from Australia and the first Test against South Africa, an ODI series, even just across the border, seems unlikely.

"It's not possible,"

a senior BCCI official told Cricinfo.

"The Indian team returns from Australia on March 8 and the first Test against South Africa starts in Chennai on March 26. Where is the time?"

Ahsan Malik, the PCB spokesman, explained the board's focus was on getting Australia over.

"This is an official trip with regards to the FTP till 2013. They wanted to meet boards and have a pre-scheduling round of meetings with them. Our full concentration is on playing Australia."