Cricket: Pakistan's tour of Bangladesh off

Page last updated at 09:30 GMT, Thursday, 5 March 2009

Pakistan captain Younus Khan inspects the bullet-ridden Sri Lankan bus Bangladesh have postponed Pakistan's forthcoming tour of the country following government advice about security concerns. The decision comes two days after seven people were killed following an armed attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore. The tour was set to begin on 10 March and encompass two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals. "A fresh itinerary will be announced later," read a Bangladesh Cricket Board statement. The Bangladesh capital Dhaka was the scene of a bloody mutiny last week involving the country's border guards that left 74 people dead. The BCB's decision is a fresh blow for Pakistan, who had announced a 16-man squad for the tour on Wednesday. However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Salim Altaf told BBC Radio 5 Live he is expecting a revised itinerary from the Bangladesh cricket authorities in the near future. "If beefed-up security measures are to be put into place, and that's going to take a little bit of extra time, the postponement is fine with us," he said. The PCB is already suffering financial losses following a 14-month hiatus of Test cricket. Captain Younus Khan, recently appointed to succeed Shoaib Malik for the two-Test Sri Lanka series, has urged the International Cricket Council to ensure Pakistan does not become a pariah destination. 606: DEBATE Pakistan would probably need to move to Dubai for the next few years The one true gooner (formerly PFG) "It is up to the ICC and the bosses from around the world to make sure that cricket is not lost in Pakistan because of a couple of mad people," Younus told Cricinfo. "They must think about all the factors, including what will become of the youngsters of Pakistan. It would be very easy right now for the ICC and the bosses to say there will be no cricket in Pakistan. "But the future will not be good if cricket is taken away from my country." Pakistan had been scheduled to hold the Champions Trophy in September 2008, but the tournament was postponed because of security fears. And the ICC announced in February it was seeking a new host country for the competition, a further setback for the beleaguered PCB. New Zealand are considering whether to cancel a tour of Pakistan in December.