Pakistan hope Sri Lanka tour will go ahead

Cricket officials in Pakistan said Wednesday they hoped Sri Lanka’s tour would go ahead next month amid doubts following the sacking of the country’s interim cricket board.

Sri Lankan Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge has fired interim board president Arjuna Ranatunga, who agreed to send his team to Pakistan in January after India pulled out of a much-anticipated tour in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.

Media reports have quoted Lokuge as saying that all decisions made by the previous board would be reviewed, raising doubts that the tour of five one-dayers and three Tests would go ahead as planned.

“The change in the set-up is their internal matter and I hope the series will take place,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Salim Altaf told reporters.

“Pakistan is sure to play this series as we badly need to have an international series at home. We are keen on hosting Sri Lanka even though we will not make much money,” he added.

Altaf said he would discuss the situation with Sri Lankan officials at the Asian Cricket Council meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

The cancellation of India’s tour was the third major cricket event called off here this year, after Australia refused to tour in March and the ICC postponed the elite eight-nation Champions Trophy set for August until 2009.

KARACHI, Thursday AFP