LAHORE, Feb 11: Slight changes in the itinerary of the Pakistan cricket team's tour to India are expected and the first Test will be now be played at Mohali from March 3 instead of March 4.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar M Khan told journalists on Friday that the dates of some other matches would also be changed. The team was scheduled to visit India from Feb 25 to play three Tests and five One-day international.

But the itinerary could not be finalised as yet because the PCB had expressed security concerns over playing a Test at Ahmedabad. The chairman dispelled the impression that now the tour would get a green signal when Indian foreign minister Natwar Singh discussed the issue during his two-day visit to Islamabad scheduled from Tuesday.

"No, the tour could be Ok before the visit of Mr Natwar Singh and I just have one hour talk on telephone with Jaghmohan Dalmiya (a key cricket figure of Indian cricket board) and discussed various matters," the chairman said.

"We, (both the boards) are moving in a very friendly way to sort out the problems and I do hope a positive result will come out," he said. He said that the PCB took the stand of not playing at Ahmedabad because a minor security incident could damage the tour altogether which might also trigger an ugly situation at the government level.

He said that Pakistan was ready to play a Test at Mumbai. "India has 26 Test centres while Pakistan only six, and we are ready to play at any city, including Mumbai, except Ahmedabad," he said.

He denied a report that a proposal of holding one-day match at Ahmedabad instead of a Test, was being considered. Shaharyar said that PCB had accepted Indian request of only playing One-day matches at Karachi and Peshawar, during their last tour of Pakistan on security grounds.

He said that the PCB had been urging its Indian counterpart since October last to finalise the itinerary, but they could not do so because of facing a case in legal court.

He said that England were touring Pakistan in November and India in next January and the PCB would hand over the schedule to both the countries eight to ten months before the start of their tours.

To a question, Shaharyar said that he was likely to receive a report about Shoaib Akhtar's inquiry into a disciplinary case on Saturday. After seeing the report he will decide if the report should be given to the PCB disciplinary committee or to take any decision forthwith," he said.

A three-member committee probed the charges of breaching the central contract levelled by the board on Shoaib. The chairman said that captain Inzamamul Haq met him on Friday and gave him a general report about the Australian tour.

Inzamam gave me a detailed report about the team's performance, its week and strong points noticed in Australia's tour and he also denied the allegation that players had no fighting spirit.

Shaharyar said that the PCB had strictly instructed those players who recently returned home from Australia not to take part in the matches of the ongoing Patron's Trophy. However, he said, the players, who had reached home after the conclusion of the Test matches in Australia, were allowed to take part in the matches.

Editorial

Ominous demands
Updated 18 May, 2024

Ominous demands

The federal government needs to boost its revenues to reduce future borrowing and pay back its existing debt.
Property leaks
18 May, 2024

Property leaks

THE leaked Dubai property data reported on by media organisations around the world earlier this week seems to have...
Heat warnings
18 May, 2024

Heat warnings

STARTING next week, the country must brace for brutal heatwaves. The NDMA warns of severe conditions with...
Dangerous law
Updated 17 May, 2024

Dangerous law

It must remember that the same law can be weaponised against it one day, just as Peca was when the PTI took power.
Uncalled for pressure
17 May, 2024

Uncalled for pressure

THE recent press conferences by Senators Faisal Vawda and Talal Chaudhry, where they demanded evidence from judges...
KP tussle
17 May, 2024

KP tussle

THE growing war of words between KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi is affecting...