South African officials to review security

A two-man team of South African cricket officials arrives in Lahore on Thursday to review the security arrangements for the tour of Pakistan, involving Test and ODI series, beginning next month. The officials will be visiting Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on September 14 before heading to Karachi the following day.

"It is a routine visit as most countries send their security experts overseas to review security and other arrangements before sending their teams," Zakir Khan, PCB's director of cricket operations, told the News.

Zakir played down reports that the officials' arrival had anything to do with the current security issues in Pakistan. Recent bomb blasts in Pakistani cities in the last couple of months led to speculation the tour might be called off. Matches in Peshawar and Rawalpindi, where blasts recently occurred, were moved to Lahore and Karachi.

"The South Africans have raised no concerns at all," Zakir said. "They have taken the option of sending a couple of officials who will be discussing security arrangements with us, among other issues."

Zakir said the officials will meet their PCB counterparts and representatives of Pakistan's the Interior Ministry. Karachi is scheduled to hold a warmup match, the first Test and the last ODI while Lahore will play host to the second Test, two ODIs and a practice match at the Bagh-e-Jinnah ground.