ICC to assess security in Pak before appointing match officials for proposed Bangladesh tour

Islamabad: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said it would carefully assess security in Pakistan before deciding on sending match officials for a proposed tour by Bangladesh.

International cricket has been suspended in Pakistan since the terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009, which killed eight people and left seven visiting players and their assistant coach wounded in Lahore. Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat has said the ICC will carry out their own assessment before sending match umpires and referees for the Bangladesh series, once it is cleared. "Safety and security is a serious issue," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Lorgat, in saying. "There are grave responsibilities on any of us who send teams or match officials (to Pakistan) and we need to do a proper assessment before we come to any conclusion about touring Pakistan," he added. Lorgat said the board meeting in Dubai did not discuss the possibilities of international cricket returning to Pakistan. "The board did not discuss international cricket returning to Pakistan, as you all know they are presently engaged with a potential tour from Bangladesh and I think we need to see what unfolds before we get into that sort of discussion," he said. The earlier attacks, which had also injured reserve umpire Ahsan Raza of Pakistan and horrified match referee Chris Broad of England and Australian match umpires Simon Taufel and Steve Davis, had forced Pakistan to play its home series at neutral venues. Their team is currently playing England in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Bureau Report