Shane Warne says he won't go to Pakistan if Australia's cricket tour later this year goes ahead.

Warne put safety and family ahead of cricket following the suicide bombing outside the New Zealand team's hotel in Karachi last week which killed 14 people.

The New Zealanders immediately abandoned their tour and Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland said the situation would be carefully monitored.

Whatever decision the ACB made, however, Australia's greatest bowler said he would not be going.

"If it was on in Pakistan I don't think I would be going," the leg spinner said today.

"For obvious reasons. There's a war going on there, there was a bombing with New Zealand.

"If it was tomorrow and we were going, I wouldn't be going, no way.

"I don't think anyone would hold it against people if they decided not to go to Pakistan.

"It's a big decision especially when you've got kids involved.

"I've got three kids and there's a lot more at stake when you've got family. It's a pretty hostile place at the moment."

Warne is currently in very hospitable Monte Carlo with captain Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and Glenn McGrath representing the Australian team nominated for World Team of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards.

All had reservations about the Pakistan tour which starts in August.

They were all confident in leaving the matter to the ACB which Warne said had made the right decisions in the past in cancelling the recent tour of Zimbabwe and forfeiting a 1996 World Cup match in Sri Lanka.

While Warne has made up his own mind, McGrath has already been told by his wife he won't be going.

"At the end of the day, we play cricket and we love what we do but to put your life on the line for a sport, is not what it's all about," McGrath said.

Waugh said it was a weighty dilemma and he had faith in the ACB, but said no-one should be forced to go if they felt at risk.

"It's pretty hard to give in to terrorism," he said.

"You look at it from both sides. One side you go for the good of cricket and not giving into terrorism and on the other side is that it may be dangerous and you're putting yourself at risk.

"We want to go out there and play cricket but if you're in danger, you've got to consider what the options are.

"They've got to send players over there who want to go. If the players don't want to go, there's not much point in sending a team."

Alternative venues including Sharjah, Morocco and Bangladesh have been suggested for the three Test series.

Pakistan has become a security flashpoint since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.

The Karachi bombing, which was immediately linked to Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, was the third attack involving foreigners in the country in six weeks.

The wife and daughter of an American diplomat were killed in a grenade attack in Islamabad in March while an American journalist was kidnapped and murdered.

Pakistan Cricket Board director Munawwar Rana said it would take a lot of effort to convince the ICC and other cricket boards to play in Pakistan.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.