Australia wants proposed tour in Pakistan

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Australia wants proposed tour in Pakistan

Cricket Australia has reiterated its preference to have the proposed tour of Pakistan in the country itself, after reports claimed that the PCB was planning to stage the postponed series, originally scheduled for March 2008, at a neutral venue.

Australia had pulled out citing security concerns, following the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. However, CA has promised to tour Pakistan on two separate occasions in 2009, the first of which has been planned for April, and will include five ODIs and a Twenty20 match

**Reports in Pakistan, though, suggested that the board had begun plans to stage the matches in Kuala Lumpur fearing another pullout by CA. Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, and chief operating officer Saleem Altaf are believed to have visited the facilities in the Malaysian capital last week after attending a meeting at the Asian Cricket Council headquarters. **

CA spokesman Peter Young, though, said he was not privy to the plans outlined in the reports, and while he admitted any tour of Pakistan would again be subject to a security assessment, he indicated that Australia were keen on touring Pakistan, where they haven’t played since 1998.

**“I am not aware of the PCB’s plans and at this stage,” he told PA Sport. “All I can say is that we are very, very keen to play Pakistan at the scheduled time and are looking forward to doing so, subject to the normal safety and security criteria that apply whenever we play anywhere.” **

The PCB had turned down the offer to stage the matches at a neutral venue when CA initially expressed their reluctance to tour last year. The two teams have already played Tests in Sri Lanka and Sharjah in 2002, and CA chief executive James Sutherland admitted last March that the option of another neutral series had been discussed.

“Playing at a neutral venue was one of the options that was certainly put on the table but at the end of the day that is something for the Pakistan Cricket Board because it’s their tour and we certainly sympathise with their position in that they desperately want the tour to go ahead in Pakistan,” said Sutherland.

Pakistan didn’t play a single Test in 2008, and their hosting of the Champions Trophy in September was also postponed after some of the participating nations expressed concerns over security conditions. India have also cancelled their tour of Pakistan, which was scheduled to start from January 6, in the wake of the terror attacks in Mumbai.

SOURCE: Cricinfo - Australia wants proposed tour in Pakistan

Hold on… Is Cricket Australia saying that eventhough PCB is trying to organize the 5 ODI and a T20 series in Malaysia, CA would still like to have it in Pakistan? Nice gesture but this coming from a board who haven’t sent their team to Pakistan in 10 ten years sound a little less believable so thanks but no thanks.

Let PCB do whatever they want. If PCB wants to origanize it on a neutral venue then let them organize it over there. The last thing we need is PCB trying to arrange the series back in Pakistan due to CA’s suggestion and then Australia pulling out at the last moment and leaving no option for Pakistan.

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Pakistan keen to stage Australia series on home soil

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants to host Australia in a proposed One-day series in April, a board official said on Sunday.

The official said the PCB wants to resume international cricket in Pakistan and a series against Australia will be a major step towards that direction.

**He rejected reports that the PCB is planning to host the series that will include five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 game in Kuala Lumpur or any other offshore venue. **

“We would only explore the option of a neutral venue if Australia expressed any security concerns,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“Our first target is to host the series at home in a successful manner because it’s very important for Pakistan cricket that top teams come and play here.”

The PCB official was reacting to reports that Australia has reiterated its preference to play the ODI series in Pakistan.

SOURCE: Pakistan keen to stage Australia series on home soil

*Hmmmm a contrasting news from the above one… so either the news reported earlier by cricinfo and some other authentic sources was incorret OR the PCB decided to respond favorably to CA “preference” of playing in Pakistan. I’ll go for the latter one. *

I am also thinking that if Australian tour in April is “postponed” again then who will benefit the most? I am assuming Australian players who will be featuring in IPL season 2 as well IPL itself will be benefiting from the fact that the Australian stars will be available for the season. And if IPL is benefiting from it then surely Cricket Australia will be benefited, if not now then sometime in future.

BRIDAL PICS.
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Re: Australia wants proposed tour in Pakistan

Reading both reports now, it sounds like Pakistan and Australia "switched" sides, one claiming that they want to play on hosts' home soil while the pessimistic other goes hunting for available grounds.

Was there an earlier news report also where Australian board stated that they will consider playing with Pakistan on a neutral venue (and not on the home soil)? Or was there no such report as this?

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Re: Australia wants proposed tour in Pakistan

Instead of Malaysia, they should look towards holding this series in Abu Dhabi. As a recent article in Cricinfo said, Abu Dhabi has excellent, world class facilities, it's close to Pakistan, and ICC should facilitate the taking over of ground preparation etc. by Pakistan, as it would for a home-series. Gate revenue is not a concern, since people hardly come to Test matches in Pakistan anyway.

Sing a Song according 2 Ur Mood !!!!!
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It should definitely be held in Pakistan. But if Australia decides to pull out for any reason they should be held responsible for the losses and should pay PCB. Now that CA wants this to be help in Pakistan they shouldn't have any reason to pull out though.

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Re: Australia wants proposed tour in Pakistan

This series will happen on a neutral ground. Just watch!

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Ijaz Butt hopeful of hosting Australia

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, has reiterated that Pakistan’s priority is to host Australia’s tour in their home country but admits that a neutral venue remains a possibility.

**Butt also said that he and chief operating officer Saleem Altaf had not visited the facilities in the Kuala Lumpur last week **after reports that they had inspected the ground follow a meeting at the Asian Cricket Council headquarters.

“The PCB and myself have not had any discussions with the Australians on playing the coming one-day series in Malaysia. Neither did I visit any such proposed venues,” Butt told PTI. "The priority is that Australia tours Pakistan and they have also conveyed to us they would like to play the series in Pakistan as they have not visited Pakistan since 1998.

More…

Lo ji… log tu apni zaban say phir jatay hain, Uncle Butt tu apnay Malaysia trip say hee phir giey. Yeh Goray bhee kya kya karwatay hain PCB say :hehe:

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Cricket-Australia not keen to play in Pakistan, says PCB

KARACHI, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Australia are not keen to tour Pakistan for a one-day series in April and May and the matches could be played at neutral venues, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt said on Monday.

Butt told a news conference after a meeting of the governing board that Australia had indicated it still had security issues playing in Pakistan.

“Chances of them agreeing to play in Pakistan are slim. They have asked us to suggest three neutral venues where the series can be relocated,” Butt said.
He said England, Malaysia and the Emirates states of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai were under consideration to host the five one-day internationals and a twenty20 match.

Butt said the neutral venues would be discussed when he met with Cricket Australia officials in Perth later this month during the ICC executive board meeting.

Australia refused to tour Pakistan last year for a test series citing security and safety concerns for its players.

The Australians have not played in Pakistan since 1998 and a test series in 2002 was also relocated to Colombo and Sharjah.

“We want Australia to play in Pakistan but our first priority is to ensure the series is played. We have to be realistic, flexible and pragmatic about having this series,” Butt added. (Editing by Justin Palmer)

SOURCE: Cricket-Australia not keen to play in Pakistan, says PCB | Sports | Cricket | Reuters

What the hell is going on??? First we heard that PCB is looking at neutral venues like Malaysia. Then cricket austrlia claimed that they they are keen to tour Pakistan as long as they get security clearance. PCB responded by saying that they are not looking for Malaysia as a neutral venue and would like to have the series in Pakistan and now this news :konfused:

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Re: Australia wants proposed tour in Pakistan

who cares about the venues…kaheen per bhi khailay…pakistan khaialay to sahee :bummer:

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Ideally Australian players won’t like to play against Pakistan since that ODI series will keep then away from IPL season 2 atleast for couple of weeks.

IPL management will also not like this fact and the way all this power game is played I won’t be surprised if Cricket Australia priority will be to let their players feature in IPL somehow.

I am afraid this drama of Kabhi haan Kabhi na will eventually end up with Pakistan having no ODI series with Australia.

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Pakistan on target for one-day series with Australia

The Pakistan Cricket Board is confident its one-day series with Australia will proceed in April, with a schedule to be released later this week. Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, met with Cricket Australia officials in Melbourne on Wednesday to discuss the contest, which is likely to be held after Australia’s tour of South Africa.

The series is certain to be played at neutral venues - perhaps split between Abu Dhabi and Dubai - and will probably consist of five one-day and two Twenty20 internationals. Butt, who was a guest of Cricket Australia at the Allan Border Medal on Tuesday, said he would release further details upon his return to Pakistan on Friday.

More…

This means that Aussie IPL members will probably be left with 2 weeks or even less of IPL games once they are done with the series against Pakistan. Something which IPL would not like to see.

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PCB to reap big profits from Australia ODIs

The national cricket officials may have failed to convince Australia to tour Pakistan in April, but they will still secure substantial profits by staging the proposed one-day series against the world champions at a couple of offshore venues, writes Khalid Hussain

**According to sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the proposed ODI series against Australia is expected to generate approximately Rs 400 million from television rights alone.
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Australia are expected to play five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International against Pakistan in April-May most probably in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. **The dates and venues for the games are likely to be announced on February 6 (Friday).
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Sounds good… This series along with revenues from the Champions Trophy in September will definitely give the financially struggling PCB something to look forward to after a forgettable 2008.

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yeah…and then waste all that money on useless players…officials…parties and trips.

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Yeah you are right bro.

However, may be a good chance for the jokers to beat Australia considering they are not strong as they used to be.