Pakistan's Bangladesh tour off

The Bangladesh government says it is "not possible to invite any foreign team" in the current climate

Hopes of rescheduling Pakistan’s tour of Bangladesh for later this month have been dashed after the Bangladesh government refused to clear it on security grounds.

Pakistan were scheduled to play two Twenty20 internationals and five one-dayers in a series beginning on March 10, but the tour was called off a day before Pakistan were due to fly to Dhaka.

Though the Bangladesh Cricket Board had hoped to convince the government and reschedule the tour between March 26 and April 10, its request was turned down.

Bangladesh is still recovering from a mutiny at a border security forces camp in Pilkhana which left more than 70 personnel of the Border Rifles forces dead.

"After the Pilkhana events, our national security is not yet foolproof," said state minister for sports Ahad Ali Sarkar.

"Our law enforcement agencies are at the moment hunting rebels wanted for last month's mutiny. It is not possible to invite any foreign team in these circumstances.”

The BCB's media committee chairman Jalal Yunus said: “The tour has been postponed again and not cancelled. We hope to find a slot in November for the series.”