Australia have confirmed they will not go ahead with their tour of Pakistan later this month. Creagh O'Connor, Cricket Australia's chairman, said the series was only being postponed and they hoped dates for a replacement trip could be confirmed soon.
"We are very sorry that the tour could not take place at this time," O'Connor said. "This was a difficult decision based on independent review of the circumstances prevailing in Pakistan at the moment. We wish no loss to Pakistan Cricket Board and look forward to undertaking this tour in the near future."
O'Connor and Nasim Ashraf, the chairman of the PCB, will meet in Dubai next weekend in an attempt to determine possible dates for the deferred tour. "We are obviously very disappointed at this decision," Ashraf said. "I guess there is not much we could do and sincerely hope that the tour of Australia to Pakistan can materialise at the earliest opportunity."
It is unclear whether the latest bombings in Pakistan - at least 15 people were killed in suicide attacks in Lahore on Tuesday, less than two hours before the announcement - played any part in Cricket Australia's decision. However, it had already become increasingly unlikely that the visit would proceed, with reports that Australia's players did not want to go.
Imran Khan, the former Pakistan captain, has blamed the country's president, General Pervez Musharraf, for Australia's decision to postpone their tour to Pakistan. "Musharraf blindly follows the United States in the war against terror and we are paying the price," Imran told AFP. "Because of that we are now at a stage when no one is ready to play cricket here."
Australia, who were scheduled to tour Pakistan this month for Tests and one-dayers, were unlikely to make the trip following former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination and continued violence in the country.
"People feel the Australians are unjustified in pulling out, but Australia's decision is understandable as everything that happens in Pakistan is magnified to larger proportions abroad," Imran said. "Australians don't live here and they don't know that bombings are not aimed at sportsmen but terrorists' targets are specific. No one has ever targeted sportsmen in Pakistan."
Australia haven't visited Pakistan since 1998 and Ricky Ponting is the only member of that touring party who is currently playing. "Had they [Australia] toured it would have created a lot of interest as everyone wants to see them play here. That is gone now for at least until the tour is rescheduled."
Imran said Pakistan had come to a point where they could only host weaker opposition like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. "Pakistan will also lose revenue by not hosting a high-profile series."
