PCB expects ICC assistance if Aussies pull out

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it will seek support from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in a bid to fill in what will be a gaping hole in their home season if Australia pull out of their tour scheduled for March-April this year.

Karachi, Feb.18 : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it will seek support from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in a bid to fill in what will be a gaping hole in their home season if Australia pull out of their tour scheduled for March-April this year.

Only a miracle can save the home series against Australia as the world champions look totally convinced about cancelling their tour due to security fears even though talks are underway in Kuala Lumpur between the two parties to save the bilateral series that includes three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International.

If the Aussies decide to stay away from what they describe 'a country in turmoil', then Pakistan will just be left with a slim Test schedule of just three matches and that too at the end of this year against India.

"Pakistan are a major Test-playing nation and it will be big injustice to us if we are left with just three Tests in an entire year," Nasim Ashraf, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, told 'The News' on Sunday.

Ashraf said that he was still optimistic that the Aussies will fulfil their commitment and play in Pakistan according to the schedule.

Shafqat Naghmi, the Board's Chief Operating Officer and other PCB officials are in Kuala Lumpur for an ICC moot, but more importantly they are trying to convince Cricket Australia (CA) officials that their team would be safe in Pakistan.

An outcome of the talks is expected soon.

But Ashraf admitted that there is a chance that the Australians might not agree to visit Pakistan.

"For us that is a worst-case scenario. Our team, which last played a Test match in December of 2007, will have to wait for its next Test till the end of this year," he said.

"Such a situation is unacceptable to us and damaging for our cricket," he said.

There have been unconfirmed reports that Pakistan have approached India and Sri Lanka to fix some games in case the Australians opt against coming here. But Ashraf denied that any such efforts have been made.

ANI