Australia keen on Pakistan trip

Shoaib Malik in Pakistan's last international match with Australia in September 2007

Cricket Australia has reiterated their preference that the postponed tour of Pakistan be played in the Asian country following reports that the Pakistan Cricket Board is planning to stage the games at a neutral venue.

The Australians pulled out of their tour scheduled for last March, citing security fears following the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Following that decision CA promised to tour the strife-torn country on two separate occasions this year, the first of which has been planned for April with five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match to be played.

Reports in Pakistan this week have suggested the PCB has begun plans to stage those games in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur because of concerns CA will again withdraw their side.

According to the reports, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and chief operating officer Saleem Altaf visited the facilities in Kuala Lumpur last week after attending a meeting at the Asian Cricket Council headquarters.

Kuala Lumpur hosted the ICC Under-19 World Cup last year. Malaysia also hosted the DLF tri-series between Australia, India and West Indies in 2006.

CA spokesman Peter Young said he was not privy to the plans outlined in the reports and, while he admitted any tour of Pakistan would again be subject to a security assessment, he revealed it was CA’s desire to tour Pakistan for the first time since 1998.

“I am not aware of the PCB’s plans and at this stage,” he said.

“All I can say is that we are very, very keen to play Pakistan at the scheduled time and are looking forward to so doing, subject to the normal safety and security criteria that apply whenever we play anywhere.”

The PCB turned down the offer to stage the matches at a neutral venue when CA initially expressed their reluctance to tour earlier this year.

CA's Peter Young reiterated Australia's desire to go ahead with a tour after several cancelled trips

The teams played a three-Test series in Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates in 2002 - in front of empty stadiums - and CA chief executive James Sutherland admitted last March the option of a another neutral series had been discussed.

Sutherland said: “Playing at a neutral venue was one of the options that was certainly put on the table but at the end of the day that is something for the Pakistan Cricket Board.

“It's their tour and we certainly sympathise with their position in that they desperately want the tour to go ahead in Pakistan.”

If the PCB’s stance has changed it would be understandable following a barren year of international cricket during which they did not play a home Test match and announced financial losses at the end of 2008.

Their hosting of the Champions Trophy in September was also postponed following the security concerns of a number of participating nations, including Australia, while India have cancelled their tour of the nation that was to go ahead later this month.

Sri Lanka are expected to tour Pakistan in India’s place, though the exact schedule is as yet unclear.