Pakistan Cricket Board has expressed their disappointment at the Australian Cricket Board decision to withdraw from the Test tour of Pakistan. Responding to an official letter received by the PCB Chairman, from his Australian counterpart. Mr. Bob Merriman, a PCB spokesman said on Friday "Pakistan Cricket Board, is deeply disappointed by the action of the Australia Cricket Board, to withdraw from the Tour of Pakistan inspite of the firm assurances and guarantees about the safety of the team members, extended at the highest level.

As is the entire Pakistan public at being deprived of witnessing the cricket competition between the two top teams.

PCB will now be consulting the Government of Pakistan before formulating their future course of action in the matter.

The text of the letter received from the Chairman Australian Cricket Board, earlier on Friday morning, is also being released to the media.


Khalid Butt
Media Manager
August 9, 2002

As I also indicated to you, our Chief Executive Officer Mr. James Sutherland and myself visited Mr. Alexander Downer the Minister for Foreign Affairs and we discussed all of the issues at length. Our Foreign Affairs Minister made three points to us namely:

i) The decision was matter for the ACB ii) That he was aware of all of the reports from the Australian government sources and he fully understood your President Mr. Musharraf's conversation with our Prime Minister Mr. Howard. iii) He would support the decision made by the ACB

I wish to strongly emphasis that the ACB directors wish to play the series and sincerely hope that you and your Board and your President can see fit to play this series at an alternative venue.

As I also indicated to you, the Directors of the ACB resolved to try and assist Pakistan cricket by authorizing Mr. Sutherland to work with you and Board of Control for Cricket in India together with the ICC to see if we can playa series of one day matches next winter (June, July, August 2003) in a suitable venue (e.g. Morocco) in a genuine endeavor to assist the PCB financially given the cancellation of the three tours.

General, I must say we have the highest respect for Pakistan cricket and we would hope that we can resolve to play the Test matches and the additional fixtures in the spirit of good fellowship and a desire to make cricket the winner.

Yours sincerely


BOB MERRIMAN
CHAIRMAN

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