West Indies decline to tour Pakistan this season (1 April 1999)

1 April 1999

West Indies decline to tour Pakistan this season

Samiul Hasan

KARACHI, March 31: The West Indies have expressed their inability to undertake a scheduled tour of Pakistan this season, informed sources said. The West Indies were programmed to tour Pakistan for three Tests and an even number of limited overs internationals. But a misunderstanding on the part of West Indies cricket officials has resulted in the cancellation of the series.

The chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Majid Khan, on Wednesday said from Lahore that when the series was finalized, the West Indies officials were informed that the series would be played from late September to late October.

"But they have now expressed their inability to tour during that period because of their domestic one-day cup which is essential for every Test aspirant. It is type of a qualification tournament. In addition to this, the contract between the sponsors (of the West Indies tournament) and the West Indies cricket board is that all the Test players would participate in that event," said Majid.

Majid maintained that his counterparts were under the impression that like in 1997, the Tests would be played between October and December.

"But that is not possible because we are scheduled to arrive in Australia in the first week of November," said Majid.

Pakistan is scheduled to play three Tests in Australia besides taking part in the tri-nation series also involving India and the hosts.

When the West Indies last toured Pakistan 18 months ago, Wasim Akram's men inflicted a crushing 3-0 defeat on Courtney Walsh's men for the first time in 67 years.

However, Majid stressed that Pakistan's tour of the West Indies next year in February and March would remain unaffected in the backdrop of this development.

"Pakistan will tour the West Indies as scheduled. But it has to be decided how many matches (Tests and one-dayers) would be played," he said. Pakistan's last tour of the West Indies was in 1993 under Wasim Akram.

The PCB chief executive stated that Sri Lanka have been invited to tour Pakistan during September and October. "The invitation has been extended to them. But we have not received a confirmation as yet."

Majid was hoping that if the confirmation of the tour didn't come by April 11, he would be talking to the Sri Lankan cricket officials during his visit of Sharjah for a scheduled meeting.

Source :: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)