West Indies confirm Pakistan tour next year

The West Indies have agreed to tour Pakistan in February next year, director of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Brig Munawwar Rana said Sunday.

"The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has agreed in principle to tour Pakistan. We will work out a schedule and a tentative itinerary before we are in a position to say if their tour would comprise three Tests and as many One-day Internationals or three Tests and a quadrangular competition," Rana said from the cricket headquarters in London where he is with the entire PCB hierarchy to attend the annual International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting scheduled Monday.

The West Indies, against the ICC 10-year programme, had announced to host India and New Zealand during February-March. Their decline to make first tour since 1997-98 had also left the quadrangular one-day competition in doldrums which was planned to be competed between India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and the West Indies.

"I had a very productive meeting with Gregory Shillingford (chief executive of WICB) on Sunday. He admitted that there had been some misunderstanding which caused unnecessary confusion.

"But now everything has been sorted out. Our relations with WICB are as good as they were before. In fact, they (relations) have been strengthened," Rana said.

Rana said he didn't talk to his West Indian opposite number regarding the holding of the quadrangular tournament. He, however, said since the WICB has agreed to send its team to Pakistan, the fate of the four-nation tournament will shortly be sorted out.

The official said the WICB's acceptance to tour Pakistan was PCB's success which had been pressing for the following of the 10-year plan.

The PCB director added that Pakistan has suggested for strict penalties if the 10-year plan was not followed. "The proposal will come up for discussion this week and the final decision would be taken in Sri Lanka in October when the executive board meets again."

Rana said he also met his Indian counterpart Jayawant Lele.

"We had a wide ranging discussion. He asked me to send the Asian Test Championship schedule as quickly as possible so that they can complete the required formalities."

Lele, according to reports, has also asked the Asian Cricket Council (ICC) to alter the dates of the Asian Test Championship matches involving India in September to avoid overlapping.

India are slated to play Pakistan and Bangladesh before taking on Australia in a three-match one-day series.

"He didn't mention to me anything like this. But I am sure if he wants to change the dates and has concerns over Dhaka as the venue of the final, he will say something on June 20 when the ACC meets," he said.

The PCB director, when asked why Shoaib Akhtar has been allowed to play for a Kent club called Lashings CC after being released by the tour management on fitness grounds, said PCB chairman as the right person to answer the question.

He, however, contradicted a statement released by the PCB that Shoaib was to return from England along with Mohammad Sami and refuse training at the National Cricket Academy.

Rana also ruled out the possibility of Sami joining the Pakistan 'A' squad in Sri Lanka. Sami, who is in Karachi, is suffering from shin injury and according to Rana, it will take more time to heal than expected.

Imran Khan, a much fitter and strong individual than Sami, had to miss almost 18 months of international cricket when he sustain shin injury in 1982-83.