Pakistan object to Test venue

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), following a report from the security team they sent to India to inspect the venues, have officially objected to Ahmedabad, proposed by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as the venue for the second Test scheduled for March 12.

Pakistan will be touring India for the first time in six years, after cricketing ties between the two countries, brought to a stand-still as a result of border disputes, resumed last year, when India toured their neighbours.

Ahmedabad was a site of religious rioting between the Hindus and the Muslims in 2002, during which as many as 2000 people were killed. Even since then, minor skirmishes have resulted in continuously prevailing tensions between the two communities.

Shahryar Khan, the PCB chairman told BBC Hindi, "We have reservations in playing there and we have suggested changes to the BCCI. We haven't suggested any alternate venues - we will play anywhere else they want us to play. There are possibilities of security problems erupting and tensions running high. We have informed the Indian board of our concerns and we hope to settle the issue mutually.

BCCI president Ranbir Singh has confirmed PCB's request and has said that the board will decide over the matter in a meeting scheduled for February 17, one week before the Pakistan team arrives in India.

Posted by Sudeep