Three low-intensity blasts in Al-Hamra Cultural Complex near to Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s headquarter have created a big problem for the clearance of Indian cricket team’s tour to Pakistan which is scheduled to start from January 13th next year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has sought security clearance from the Indian government for next year’s tour of Pakistan.
Indians are scheduled to tour Pakistan from January 13 to February 19, playing three tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international.
However, there are security concerns among the players following a spate of suicide bombings in Pakistan during the last few months.
“What I have come to know is that BCCI President Shahank Manohar has already made it clear that on BCCI’s side the tour is on. And we are waiting for the government’s nod. We have already written to the government and the moment we get clearance we will let you know. We are waiting for government’s clearance,” Rajiv Shukla, vice-president of the BCCI said in a statement.
Australia cancelled a test tour of Pakistan this year and the International Cricket Council (ICC) postponed the Champions Trophy in September over security concerns.
The ICC has re-scheduled the one-day tournament for September 24- October 5 next year but said it would monitor India’s tour before confirming Pakistan as the venue.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), already worried about test cricket due to reluctance of teams to travel, is concerned India may pull out on security grounds.
Its chiefs have suggested swapping Pakistan’s 2010 tour of India or even staging the series in a neutral venue if the trip does not happen.
Gilani agreed to get actively involved in the bid to save India’s cricket tour of Pakistan scheduled for early next year and will soon be discussing the issue with his counterpart Manmohan Singh.
Gilani told Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt that he will assure Singh that Indian cricketers will be provided with a fool-proof security blanket during their tour of Pakistan which is lined up for January-February next year, but is in the danger of becoming a victim to the prevailing security situation in the country.
The series to be played from January 5 to February 19 next year includes three Tests, five One-day Internationals and one Twenty20 International but is in doubt because the Indian government is yet to clear the tour.
Gilani told Butt and other senior PCB officials that the matter would be tackled at the highest level.
“The game of cricket is loved by the people of both India and Pakistan and the government will ensure proper security arrangements for organising the forthcoming Pak-India cricket series,” Gilani said. “This is a very high-profile tour and the Indian government would be provided assurance regarding their security concerns,” he added.
The PCB is making all possible efforts to save the series against India that is crucial for the future of Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan have not played a single Test in 2008 because of Australia’s refusal to tour this country on the pretext of security apprehensions earlier this year. Experts fear that if India also avoided their tour of Pakistan, then no leading cricket team will visit this country in the coming years.
Sources in the PCB said that Butt could also meet President Asif Ali Zardari — the Board’s chief patron — soon to seek his support as well.
A former Pakistan Test opener, Butt has intensified his efforts to keel alive the home series against India. He met the Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal in Lahore and ensured him of the best possible security for the Indian players.
A senior Board official said that the ‘fruitful’ meeting lasted for about 90 minutes.
Though the Indian cricket board (BCCI) says that the tour remains on, it has made it clear that the series in Pakistan will only be confirmed after it receives a clearance from the Indian government.
The fact that the Indian government recently blocked its junior hockey team’s tour of Pakistan on security grounds has made the PCB officials quite anxious about the series.
The PCB officials can take some comfort in the fact that India were one of the other three nations and strongly supported the idea of having the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. India toured Pakistan this summer to play in the Asia Cup and their cricketers and officials said at that time that they felt safe in Pakistan.
But India’s next visit that is scheduled to begin on January 5 hinges on whether their security experts still believe that MS Dhoni and company would be safe here.
It is because of this uncertainty that the PCB officials have been openly talking about the option of either playing the series in India or at neutral venues like Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. However, they insist that Pakistan’s first choice is to have the ‘iconic’ series on home soil according to schedule.
Meanwhile a source close to PCB chief Ijaz butt said that Pakistan Cricket Board has kept its options open if the Indian cricket team doesn't get clearance from its government to tour in January because of security concerns.
He said that one of the options is the cricket boards could switch their home series. Pakistan is scheduled to tour India in 2010 under the International Cricket Council's future Test program.
"If the Indian cricket team's tour (to Pakistan) is not cleared by its government we can look at swapping the series with India," he said.
Pakistan will end 2008 without playing a single test after Australia postponed its three-match tour in March. The ICC postponed the eight-team Champions Trophy scheduled for September in Pakistan after five countries expressed concerns over security.

Tour Fixtures
January 2009
Tue 13 - Sat 17
10:00 local, 05:00 GMT
1st Test - Pakistan v India
National Stadium, Karachi
Wed 21 - Sun 25
10:00 local, 05:00 GMT
2nd Test - Pakistan v India
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
Thu 29 - Mon 2
10:00 local, 05:00 GMT
3rd Test - Pakistan v India
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
February 2009
Fri 6
1st ODI - Pakistan v India
Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
Sun 8
2nd ODI - Pakistan v India
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Wed 11
3rd ODI - Pakistan v India
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
Sat 14
4th ODI - Pakistan v India
Multan Cricket Stadium
Tue 17
5th ODI - Pakistan v India
National Stadium, Karachi
Thu 19
Only Twenty20 International - Pakistan v India
National Stadium, Karachi