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England should play in Karachi: Miandad
July 09, 2005 16:59 IST
This week's bomb blasts in London show that nowhere is safe and England's cricket team should reconsider a decision not to play in Karachi, former Pakistani captain Javed Miandad said on Saturday. England have refused to play a Test in the volatile southern port city of Karachi on their tour of Pakistan later this year citing security concerns for their players.
"The blasts in London prove that no city is safe today from terrorist activities but life has to go on, as it is going on in London. So why discriminate against Karachi?" Miandad asked.
Karachi, long plagued by violence between rival ethnic and sectarian gangs, has been hit by a spate of militant attacks including bomb blasts and shootings since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
More than 50 people were killed in four blasts on London's transport network on Thursday.
Miandad said England's decision to not play a Test in Karachi yet go ahead with their one-day matches against Australia in London showed double standards.
"They can play in London despite the loss of lives in that city. Yet they are not willing to play a Test in Karachi in spite of security assurances by our (Pakistan Cricket) Board and government," he told Reuters.
England and Australia decided to go ahead with one-day matches on Sunday and Tuesday at Lord's and The Oval in London under heightened security.
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"They have security concerns for their players in Karachi but they are willing to play in London despite the terrorist bombings," Miandad said.He said earlier Pakistani cricket authorities should cancel England's tour if they do not play a Test in Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) conveyed its decision not to play a Test in Karachi on Tuesday after a week-long inspection visit to match venues by two security experts.
Visiting teams from Australia, the West Indies, South Africa and India have refused to play Tests in the city. A bomb outside a hotel where a New Zealand team was staying in 2002 killed 14 people, including 11 French engineers.
The PCB is in talks with the ECB about the tour itinerary. Pakistan has suggested two back-to-back one-dayers in Karachi. The ECB has yet to give a final decision.
England are due to play three Tests and five one-dayers on the October-November tour.