Pakistan fumes after Australia confirm India tour

Cricket authorities in Pakistan accuse their Australian counterparts of double standards after confirmation that Australia's Test tour to India will go ahead.

KARACHI // Cricket authorities in Pakistan have accused their Australian counterparts of double standards after they confirmed that Australia's Test tour to India would go ahead despite a series of bomb blasts in New Delhi last weekend. A senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that they expected the tour of India to go ahead because there was big money involved in the four-Test series which starts at the end of this month.

"It just shows the double standards of the Australians. They couldn't accept our assurances they would be provided top security to play in Pakistan," the PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said. "But they have accepted Indian assurances and are willing to play in India which has also seen a series of bomb blasts in recent months at major cricket venues. Australia, in fact, would be playing a Test in Delhi," Mr Naghmi added.

Australia postponed their Test tour to Pakistan earlier this year insisting they were concerned with the safety and security of their players. They were also among the four countries to express security concerns about playing the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, leading to its postponement last month by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Mr Naghmi said Pakistan had always provided state-level security for touring teams and hinted that no country or city could declare itself safe from attacks.

"So why is Pakistan so different from India we want to know? In a way, we are glad they are going to India we hope they will now fulfil their commitment of touring Pakistan next April," Mr Naghmi added. Australia are due to tour Pakistan next year. *Reuters