Ahmedabad a no-no, insists Pakistan board

The Pakistan board has maintained that their team will not play in Ahmedabad on the forthcoming tour to India. The Indian government had earlier sent a letter asking them to reconsider their decision, but the PCB insisted that Ahmedabad was a no-no, while also doing a volte-face and insisting that the decision was based on security concerns, and not political ones as was stated earlier.

Calling the earlier reports speculative, the Pakistan board said in a media release: "The PCB hereby clarifies that after receiving the report of the security team that recently visited India, the PCB has requested the BCCI to change the venue of the Test from Ahmedabad to any other venue of Test status in India on grounds of security. The PCB contradicts reports suggesting any motive other than security in making the request."

Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the PCB, told The Times of India: "We're not going to play in Ahmedabad. As of now, even if the government of India or the BCCI asks us to reconsider, we will stick to our decision. We are concerned about only two things - firstly, the safety of our team, and secondly, the fear that the improving bilateral ties might be derailed even if there is a minor incident."

The newspaper also reported that the Pakistan board had come up with an alternative solution to solve the problem, suggesting a one-dayer at Mumbai instead of Delhi. Mumbai has in the past been a sensitive venue as well, due to the strong anti-Pakistan stand by the local Shiv Sena Party, but the PCB indicated that a match there would send out a clear signal that there were no political reasons for backing out of Ahmedabad.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) has demanded that the tour be cancelled if Pakistan refuse to play in Ahmedabad. "I will raise this issue in the next BCCI meeting on February 16," Narhari Amin, the GCA president, told Press Trust of India. "Our message [to the PCB] is clear - either play in Ahmedabad or call off the entire series." With so much at stake for the Indian board, it is highly unlikely that the BCCI will take any such step.

Rajiv Shukla, the vice-president of the BCCI, is already in Lahore and is expected to meet Shaharyar in an attempt to resolve the issue. According to reports in various sections of the media, Chennai will get to host the Test if Ahmedabad is found unsuitable by the Indian board and the government.