Australia call off Pakistan tour

Sydney: Australia have postponed their planned tour of Pakistan because of fears over the safety of their players.

The world champions were due to visit Pakistan at the end of this month for a 30-day tour, but put the trip on hold after a spate of suicide bombings following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto late last year.

"We are very sorry that the tour could not take place at this time," Cricket Australia (CA) chairman Creagh O'Connor said in a joint statement released yesterday. "This was a difficult decision based on independent review of the circumstances prevailing in Pakistan at the moment.

"We wish no loss to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)."

PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf said he was disappointed the tour had been postponed but was optimistic it would be rescheduled in the near future.

Bangladesh to fill in

"We maintain conditions are still conducive to hold cricket events in Pakistan," he told a news conference in Islamabad. "Our security plans have also been very good. Teams have toured Pakistan in recent times and have had no problems."

Ashraf said Bangladesh had already agreed to fill the void by playing a one-day series in Pakistan next month, while the PCB and CA would meet at the International Cricket Council's (ICC) headquarters in Dubai next week to discuss the possibility of rescheduling the tour, either next year or in 2010.

"The tour has not been cancelled. The tour has been postponed and according to ICC rules Cricket Australia has to fulfil its commitment," Ashraf said.

Australia had proposed to play the series at a neutral venue but the PCB declined, offering instead to reduce the number of match venues and provide unprecedented protection.

Cancelled tours to Pakistan

September 2001: New Zealand have cancelled their cricket tour to Pakistan because of the terrorist attacks in the US.

October 2001: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) cancelled a one-day home series against Sri Lanka because of safety fears.

November 2001: New Zealand women's team visit to the sub-continent, which was scheduled for December, has been cancelled.

January 2002: West Indies cancel their tour of Pakistan, in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the US. The series was later played at Sharjah in February 2002.

May 2002: New Zealand have cancelled the rest of their tour of Pakistan following a suicide bomb attack outside the teams' hotel in Karachi.

August 2002: The Australian Cricket Board cancelled their three-Test series in Pakistan amid fears for player safety. The series was later played at Colombo/Sharjah in October 2002.

March 2003: India abruptly cancelled their visit to Pakistan without giving any specific reason.

September 2003: South Africa's tour to Pakistan was cancelled at short notice after a bomb blast rocked downtown Karachi. The tour later took place in October 2003.

March 2008: Australia tour of Pakistan has been postponed after a series of bomb blasts in Lahore.

- Mohandas Menon