Pakistan`s celebrated pace bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis on Saturday urged Australia not call off their cricket tour of Pakistan after a car bomb blast in Karachi last week raised security concerns.
"Last week`s event was unfortunate, but overall this beautiful world has become vulnerable to all sorts of mishaps, so why single out Pakistan," Pakistan captain Younis said. "I would say to the Australians not to take hasty decisions and rule out cricket in Pakistan because we are committed to hosting good, positive cricket," he said.
Pakistan faces a serious dilemma in the wake of the May 8 blast in this volatile port city outside a hotel where Pakistan and New Zealand teams were staying. The early-morning blast shortly before the start of the second Test in Karachi killed 14 people, including 11 French naval officials.
New Zealand decided to abort their re-scheduled tour of Pakistan, while the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) showed concerns over their tour of Pakistan in August and October this year.
"Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) provided New Zealand team with the best security and they praised it, but unfortunately an event which was beyond anyone`s control took place," Younis said.
Australian players -- Shane Warne, captain Steve Waugh, Glenn McGrath - earlier this week ruled out going to Pakistan. Warne said he was not prepared to wait before making up his mind.
"If the tour is on in Pakistan, I don`t think I would be going," the champion leg-spinner said. Warne`s tour to Pakistan in 1994-95 was marred by match-fixing controversy and he missed the tour in 1998-99 due to injury.
Waugh admitted it was a weighty dilemma, but left a final decision to the ACB. "You 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."
Bureau Report