Pakistan considering unscheduled tour of England

Karachi:

Accepting the invitation for an unscheduled but financially lucrative tour of England next year could cost Pakistan a home series against the side in 2012 as the English Cricket Board is not keen on sending its team here owing to the volatile security situation.

Sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board revealed that the proposal was discussed in the two meetings PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt had with ECB chief Giles Clarke in London this weekend.

"The ECB has invited Pakistan to tour England next year to play four tests and a one-day series which is not part of the Future Tours Program. But in return they will not tour Pakistan in 2012 as laid out in the FTP," a source said.

He said England were not keen to play in Pakistan in the next few years because of the security situation and wanted Pakistan to forego the 2012 series.

"It is not known what Butt told Clarke about the 2012 tour but obviously Pakistan is presently not in a bargaining position due to the refusal of teams to tour the country because of security issues," one source said.

He said Butt had also spoken to Clarke about the financial benefits to Pakistan for undertaking the unscheduled tour to England next year.

"Apparently the ECB has proposed to pay $3.5 million to Pakistan for the tour but the PCB is asking for USD 4.5 million as per current market estimates," the source disclosed.