PCB cancels series in Bangladesh on security grounds

Still bitter with Bangladesh for refusing to host Pakistan two years ago, the PCB has cancelled a series there on security grounds.

It is learnt that despite complaining of not getting enough international cricket in recent times, the PCB, since 2008, has twice rejected offers by the Bangladesh cricket Board to tour there.

"Clearly relations between the two boards are not very cordial at the moment. Pakistan also remains unhappy with the stance of the Bangladesh board when the ICC decided to move away the 2011 World Cup matches from Pakistan because of security concerns," one source said.

Relations between the two boards hit a rough note in early 2009 when Bangladesh refused to host Pakistan for a scheduled series of five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches in March.

Despite requests from the PCB, the tour was eventually called off by the BCB on government advice a day after terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore on March 3.

Bangladesh declined to host Pakistan because of non-clearance from the government but the Pakistan board apparently took the snub badly.

"The feeling in the Pakistan board was that the BCB had let it down in it biggest crisis when it needed the support of its neighboring countries after the attack on the Sri Lankan team. "Matters turned sour later when Bangladesh also didn't resist any move by the ICC to shift the World Cup matches from Pakistan."

The source said since last year, the BCB had twice asked Pakistan to play the series that was called off in 2009 but the PCB appeared in no mood to close the chapter.

No foreign teams have toured Pakistan since the attack on the Sri Lankan team although Zimbabwe had agreed to play a short one-day series in Pakistan this year.

"The Zimbabwe cricket union had given the dates from December 8 to 19 to tour Pakistan but unfortunately when the PCB approached the government for security clearance the authorities didn't give the clearance since the month of Muharram fell in this period," the source said.

He said the PCB and Zimbabwe cricket union were now trying to work out new dates for the one-day series sometime in 2011.