Bangladesh are too late to appeal result - Pakistan

 Bangladesh have reacted too late in trying to have the result of the Asia Cup final overturned, the Pakistan Cricket Board's chief operating officer said on Sunday.

A senior official from the Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Saturday that it will ask the Asian Cricket Council to review an incident in the last over of Thursday's final against Pakistan which they believe cost them the game.

Pakistan won the final by two runs but Bangladesh say Pakistani bowler Aizaz Cheema, who bowled the final over, deliberately tried to block batsman Mahmudullah and five penalty runs should be incurred.

"We are a bit surprised by this late reaction from the Bangladesh board because we believe if something was wrong the match officials would have taken action on the spot," the PCB's Subhan Ahmed told Reuters.
"What we fail to understand is why there is this late reaction from the Bangladesh board. But even if they appeal I don't think it will affect relations between the two boards."

Pakistan, who have not hosted international matches since a gun attack on the Sri Lanka team in 2009, have invited Bangladesh to play a three-match one-day series next month.

The PCB is still waiting for a response from the Bangladesh board, which says it will follow any decision made by its government.

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Pakistan Cricket Board disappointed at Bangladesh claims against Cheema

 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Cricket Board said Sunday it was disappointed with Bangladeshi claims that fast bowler Aizaz Cheema deliberately blocked batsman Mahmudullah during the Asia Cup final on Thursday.
Intikhab Alam, head of a PCB committee, said neither the match referee nor the umpires raised the issue with Pakistan team management after the match.
"It is sad and disappointing that Bangladesh has raised the issue," Alam told The Associated Press. "It was such a thrilling final and it is ridiculous that Bangladesh has raised this issue after 48 hours."
Bangladesh Cricket Board official Enayet Hossain Siraj claimed "it is clear (from the video footage) that Cheema blocked Mahmudullah deliberately" during the first ball of the 50th over as the batsman tried to come back for a second run.
Bangladesh lost the final by two runs as Cheema conceded six runs in the last over.
Siraj reportedly said that Bangladesh will lodge a written complain to the Asian Cricket Council and will also send a copy to the International Cricket Council.
According to the rules, Bangladesh could have been awarded five penalty runs. At the time, Australian umpire Steve Davis spoke to Cheema soon after the bowler collided with Mahmudullah but did not signal any penalty runs.
"It's the prerogative of the umpires, but in this case the umpire did not signal any penalty runs," Alam said.

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BCB wants review of last-over collision in Asia Cup final

 DHAKA: Bangladesh have not yet given up on the Asia Cup despite losing the final by two runs to Pakistan as the country's Board plans to complain to the Asian Cricket Council that pacer Aizaz Cheema deliberately blocked host batsman Mahmudullah Riyad when he tried to come back for a run during the tense chase.

Chasing 237 for a win, Bangladesh fell short by two runs as they needed four from the final delivery. The incident in question happened during the 50th over.

"We have seen video footage of the incident repeatedly. It is clear that Cheema blocked Mahmudullah deliberately," Enayet Hossain Siraj, the chairman of the BCB cricket operations committee, told reporters.

"We will lodge a written appeal with the ACC very soon and will also give a copy to the ICC," he added.

ICC rules state that if a player is found to have blocked his rival deliberately while completing a run, the batting side is awarded five penalty runs and if a run-out has happened during the course of it, it is not given.

The delivery itself is not to be counted but the run will be accounted for even if the batsmen have not crossed each other.

But whether the blocking was done deliberately is decided by the on-field officials and in the case reported by the BCB, umpire Steve Davis was seen having a word with both the players.

The ball yielded a single in that thrilling match. "It is clearly written in the playing conditions that it will be a dead ball if the batsman faces an obstacle while running by a bowler or fielder. The batting side will get a five-run penalty," Siraj said.

"In that case, we would have required only four runs off six balls. We have footage which clearly shows that the bowler in question created an obstacle to (Mahmudullah) Riyad."

Bangladesh needed nine runs at the start of the 50th over. Had Pakistan been penalised, Bangladesh's chase would have been made quite easy in the cliff-hanger.

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Bangladesh’s Pakistan tour rests on ICC meeting outcome

 LAHORE: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has deferred its decision regarding the tour to Pakistan until the next ICC Executive Board meeting, which will take place in Dubai on April 14.
The BCB communicated this to International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on March 20 in reply to the game governing body’s request to PCB and BCB on March 16 to provide it with the tour schedule and the security plan so that it can appoint match officials, Dawn has learnt through the communications exchanged by all the three parties.
The ICC’s Cricket Operations manager in his March 16 communication wrote, “I refer to the discussion at CEC wherein you advised that a decision would be made imminently as to whether the tour will proceed or not.
“As you understand there are a number of logistical arrangements to be made and time is short, please confirm on or before midday on Tuesday (March 20) whether the tour is taking place, and if so, reconfirm the dates and venues.
“Please also provide the security plan for us to pass on to our security advisers for their consideration before we can consider making any match official appointments.”
While the PCB promptly responded to the ICC’s request with a proposed schedule, the BCB did not respond for four days and finally said it would wait for the outcome of the Executive Board meeting.
The BCB in its reply wrote, “Please refer to the CEC meeting held on March 5 and 6 in Dubai and the subsequent media release issued by the ICC on March 7, 2012 on the meeting outcomes.
“It appears from that media release that the ICC is still considering Pakistan an unsafe place for staging international matches and to appoint neutral match officials.
“As this issue will be taken up in the next ICC Executive Board meeting, scheduled in April 2012, the BCB is waiting for the outcome that stems up from the said meeting.”
The point the BCB conveniently avoided was the ICC CEC meeting which was attended by BCB acting chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury Sujan and PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad.
Both the officials were part of the CEC recommendation which was reflected in the announcement and will now be presented before the ICC Executive Board for ratification.
To ensure that the series takes place, the ICC departed from its standard playing condition of fielding neutral umpires in the series, allowing two Pakistani umpires Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf to supervise the matches.
After getting the confirmation of the series, the ICC had to appoint a match-referee, but the fresh situation indicates the series will not be possible.
Even if Bangladesh takes a positive decision at the ICC meeting on April 14, it will be difficult for Pakistan to play Bangladesh since the weather in May will be very hot and the green-shirts will also have to tour Sri Lanka in the same month.
Moreover, upon receiving this unexpected response, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, who was in Mirpur at that time for the India-Pakistan match at the Asia Cup, met with PCB and BCB officials.
“During that meeting, the ICC chief executive once again reiterated the ICC position on safety and security in a bilateral series and also reminded PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and BCB president Mustafa Kamal of the Jan 31 and Feb 1’s ICC Executive Board resolution,” sources said.
Lorgat later wrote an email to PCB and BCB in which he reiterated and clarified the ICC position.
He said, “The ICC would like to once again confirm that the decision for Bangladesh to tour Pakistan rests squarely with the Bangladesh Cricket Board as this is a bilateral series.
“We explained this to all the parties concerned in Dhaka.
“As explained, this protocol was decided at the last ICC Board meeting. For reference purposes, the ICC will like to provide an extract from the draft minutes circulated to all directors on March 15.
“ ….Mr Srinivasan stated that security was a bilateral issue between the two members concerned and it had nothing to do with the ICC. In his view, implementing the code would be an imposition on members’ autonomy.
“The Board expressly acknowledged the obligation on the host to look after ICC match officials and staff during a bilateral series and that ICC was primarily responsible for ensuring that these persons were appropriately protected. ”
Lorgat continued, “The BCB will note from these minutes. The appointment of match officials can only be made once a tour schedule is confirmed and the safety and security plan submitted to the ICC.
“We hope this once again clarifies the situation i.e. the decision to tour Pakistan is one for Bangladesh to make.”
Meanwhile, the sources also claimed that the PCB despite knowing the factual position is still indicating the BCB would send its team to Pakistan.
Failing to convince the BCB officials, the PCB may now change its relationship with the BCB and may withdraw its support to Mustafa Kamal for ICC’s presidency from 2014 to 2016.

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Bangladesh tour of Pakistan unlikely

 The Pakistan Cricket Board is gearing up to hear the disappointing news of Bangladesh refusing to send its team for a planned one-day series next month after failing to get government clearance.
Despite the visit of the Chairman of the Pakistan board to Dhaka to watch the Asia Cup final and meet with Bangladesh board officials indications are that Bangladesh will not be touring Pakistan.
"The Bangladesh board has conveyed to Zaka Ashraf in Dhaka that they are not getting clearance from their government to send their team to Pakistan next month," the PTI quoted a source as saying.
Pakistan invited Bangladesh to play three one-day internationals in a bid to revive international cricket in the country.
No Test-playing nation has visited Pakistan since March, 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore killing six Pakistani policemen and a van driver and wounding five of the visiting players.
The PCB had even invited a security delegation of the Bangladesh board led by their Chairman Mostafa Kamal to Pakistan earlier this month to inspect security arrangements for the tour.
"The Bangladesh delegation was supposed to send their report and get a response from their government this month. But the matter has been delayed and they have already indicated that they might not get clearance to send their team to Pakistan because of security concerns," the source said.
If Bangladesh refuse to send their team to Pakistan it will come as a setback to the PCB which was very confident that the series would be played next month in Karachi and Lahore.
"The PCB is anticipating a negative answer from the Bangladesh board that is why they have began moves to study the feasibility of holding the Pakistan Premier League T20 event this year," one source said.

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Pakistan won Asia Cup

 Pakistan claimed the Asia Cup with a thrilling two-run victory over a dogged Bangladesh on Thursday, breaking the hearts of the home support who saw their unfancied side take the game to the wire.

The visitors -- tournament winners in 2000 -- held Bangladesh to 234-8, agonisingly short of Pakistan's 236-9 despite impressive half-centuries from Shakib Al Hasan (68) and opener Tamim Iqbal (60).

Pakistan paceman Aizaz Cheema starred with the ball, grabbing three wickets, while fast bowler Umar Gul and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal each took two to strangle Bangladesh's run-chase.

The hosts, appearing in their first Asia Cup final, looked well placed to win the day-night match, watched by Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but faltered in the final over.

Needing nine runs to win with three wickets in hand they could manage only six, as Cheema held his nerve to see out the game.

"It was a wonderful victory, well fought by all the guys. Sarfraz Ahmed's innings (46 not out) was a vital one for us," victorious skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said after the game.

"Bangladesh played wonderfully well. This is really a new Bangladesh team and they are really the winners."

Cheered by a capacity crowd, Bangladesh started their innings strongly, reaching 68 for the opening wicket through Tamim and Mohammad Nazimuddin (16), before Pakistan struck with three wickets in the space of 13 runs.

Tamim, who was initially dropped from the squad but later added as a 15th member, hit eight fours in his fourth successive half-century before being caught by Younis in the covers off Gul.

Shakib kept alive Bangladesh's hopes with an 89-run stand for the fourth wicket with Nasir Hossain (28), but his dismissal in the 44th over put the hosts under pressure.

"We fought in all the games and we achieved a lot in this tournament. We played good in the tournament I thought," said Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim.

"Shakib and Tamim were both set batsmen and their wickets were the turning point. We also gave away some runs (19) in the last over and that was crucial."

Bangladesh had earlier restricted Pakistan's free-scoring batsmen with tight bowling and a solid fielding performance.

Left-arm spinners Shakib and Abdur Razzak and paceman Mashrafe Mortaza bagged two wickets apiece for Bangladesh, with Ahmed leading Pakistan's innings with an unbeaten 46.

Having upset the odds to beat World Cup winners India and runners-up Sri Lanka in league matches, Bangladesh looked like they could repeat the trick after capturing three wickets in the opening 15 overs to have Pakistan at 55-3.

Mortaza struck in his third over when he had opener Nasir Jamshed (nine) caught by Mohammad Mahmudullah in the covers before seamer Nazmul Hossain trapped Younis Khan leg-before for one.

Bangladesh's fielders expertly supported their bowlers with Nasir running Misbah out with a direct-hit before Nazmul held a good catch at mid-on to account for Mohammad Hafeez (40).

Nasir had a hand in one more dismissal when he dived forward at long-off to take a superb catch to remove Shahid Afridi after the batsman had hit one six and four boundaries in a brisk 22-ball 32.

The hosts did not allow Pakistan to build a big partnership, the highest stand of the innings being 59 for the fifth wicket between Umar Akmal (30) and Hammad Azam (30).

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Ban vs Pak: Bangladesh need 237 to win Asia Cup

 Abdur Razzakl claimed his second victim in the form of Saeed Ajmal to give Pakistan ninth blow just after they crossed 200-mark in the Asia Cup final at Mirpur.

After inviting Pakistan to bat, Bangladesh new ball pair Mashrafe Mortaza and Nazmul Hossain dismissed Nasir Jamshed and Younis Khan early to give hosts early control.

Mashrafe Mortaza gave Bangladesh the first breakthrough by getting Jamshed caught by Mahmudullah in the fifth over.

Jamshed scored 9 runs before mistiming a slower delivery in the hands of Mahmudullah in the covers.

Pakistan lost their second wicket when Hossain trapped Younis plumb in front of the wicket.

Abdur Razzak struck to dismiss a well settled Mohammad Hafeez to give Pakistan fourth blow at the score of 70 in the 22 nd over.

Razzak got Hafeez (40), who tried hard to rescue his side from early setback, caught by Nazmul Hossain 15 runs after Nasir Hossain ran out Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq with a direct.

Misbah scored a 23-ball 13 before getting run out.

After a steady stand for the fifth wicket, Shakib Al Hasan removed Hammad Azam (30) to give Pakistan fifth blow at the score of 129. Before the visitors could recover from the jolt, Mahmudullah ended Umar Akmal's (30) challenge.

Hasan claimed his second victim in the form of Shahid Afridi to give Pakistan seventh blow at the score 178 in the 42 nd over.

Hasan got Afridi caught by Hossain after his fiery show. Afridi smashed 32 off 22 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and a six.

Mortaza then dismissed Umar Gul to give Pakistan eighth blow one short of the 200-mark in the 45 th over.

Bangladesh are unchanged and Pakistan have brought in Sarfraz Ahmed for Wahab Riaz.

Since their arrival into the big league in 1999, a place in the Asia Cup final is the biggest moment for Bangladesh cricket. It was mayhem on the streets on Dhaka on Tuesday night when they beat Sri Lanka to set up the final clash against Pakistan, and the dust is yet to settle.

The biggest challenge for the Bangladesh players now is to gather their thoughts, put their heads down and get ready for another big fight against Pakistan.

Post their wins against India and Sri Lanka, the belief in the Bangladesh camp is unbelievable and the feeling is that they can beat just about anyone. Asking-rates of eight plus are not bothering the players anymore and that's the confidence that they want to take into the final.

Bangladesh, though, lost to Pakistan in the group stage when they started off well only to falter at the crunch.

The confidence in the Bangladesh camp comes from the fact that the team is not solely dependent on Shakib and Tamim Iqbal anymore.

Playing a final at home under such pressure is not an easy job for an inexperienced side and the canny Pakistanis are looking to tighten the screws. They, of course, were in for a shock on Sunday when Virat Kohli ran away with the game, but that's history now.

Pakistan have an excellent bowling line-up led by pacer Umar Gul and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. And there's Mohammad Hafeez too, and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq is sure to unleash them against Bangladesh's two big left-handers, Shakib and Tamim.

Teams:

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (Capt.), Tamim Iqbal, Nazimuddin, Jahurul Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Nazmul Hossain.

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Excitement builds ahead of Bangladesh cricket final

Excitement is building across Bangladesh ahead of cricket's Asia Cup final in which the host nation will be facing Pakistan.

Bangladesh has reached the final for the first time after defeating Sri Lanka - the former world champions - in an emphatic manner in Dhaka on Tuesday.
This will be the biggest game in the history of Bangladesh cricket.
Officials say that all the tickets for the nearly 25,000 capacity stadium have been sold out.
The victory against Sri Lanka on Tuesday triggered spontaneous celebrations and street parties all across Dhaka which went on into the early hours of Wednesday.
Thousands of fans beat drums, played plastic trumpets, and sang and danced in the streets after the team's victory - and the earlier win against India last week.
India lost despite Sachin Tendulkar's 100th international century in that match.
 
'History-shaping event'
 
Bangladesh has never won any major international tournament and, if the team can beat Pakistan on Thursday, it will be a historic achievement.

Bangladesh beat India despite Tendulkar's century

"We are now competing against the world's top teams. We are no longer treated as an underdog in world cricket," businessman Adib Sajed Adel said.
There is also a surge in the sale of Bangladeshi flags, which now adorn many buildings in Dhaka and especially those closer to the stadium in the Mirpur area of Dhaka.
Television channels have been running special talk shows on the team's achievements and chances of victory.
"I am very excited because Bangladesh defeated two test cricket playing nations. It's a big thing for us and I am eagerly looking forward to the final and hope we will win the Asia Cup this time," cricket fan Rubaiyat Siddique said.
Bangladeshi Cricket Board Media Manager Rabeed Imam says that if the team does win, the image of cricket in his country will be changed for ever.
"The players have performed consistently in the tournament so far and if they can do it again, this will be a history-shaping event," he said.
Officials say that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be at the stadium in Dhaka on Thursday to cheer on the team.
Indeed it is likely that when the Bangladeshi players take to the field on Thursday, a large portion of this nation of 160 million people will be strongly backing them.

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Cricket history for Sachin, but Bangladesh chase down India's 289

Embellished with Tendulkar's milestone knock of 114 runs, his 49th ODI century, India scored 289 for five but the hosts pulled off a stunning win with four balls to spare to send thousands of their fans into a frenzy at the Sher-e-Bangla national stadium. The heroes of Bangladeshi win were opener Tamim Iqbal (70) Jahurul Islam (53) and Shakib Al Hasan (49) as they batted with sheer grit to pull the rug from under India's feet.
Bangaldesh skipper Mushfikur Rahim hit a fiery 46 off 25 balls and Nasir Hossain supported him well with 54-run knock to record a shock win, their first against India since 2003 World Cup.
The hosts needed 37 off the last four overs but the match tilted in Bangaldesh's favour when Irfan Pathan leaked 17 runs in the 48th over. Skipper Rahim hit two consecutive sixes in that over and then treated Praveen Kumar with the same disdain to script a historic win.
For India, apart from Tendulkar's knock, Virat Kohli (66) and Suresh Raina (51) were the notable contributors for India.
India will now have to win their last league match against arch rivals Pakistan to entertain hopes of making it to the final.

It had been a long and agonising wait for Tendulkar to get to this century as pressure was piling on him to achieve the landmark ever since the disappointing England tour last year.

As the second innings of the match progressed, and it was clear that India was losing, cricket fans and critics began commenting on how everytime Sachin Tendulkar scores a century, India loses the match.
But these statistics, should prove otherwise: In ODI cricket, Sachin Tendulkar has scored 49 ODI centuries, India has lost just 13 of these matches. In Test,  Tendulkar has scored 51, the team has lost only 11 times.

Tendulkar, who turns 39 next month, achieved the feat when he recorded his 49th one-day century in the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka. He has 51 Test hundreds.
The Mumbai batsman, who has compiled more Test and one-day runs than anyone in history, reached the record with a single, marking the moment with a modest glance to the sky while pointing to the Indian flag on his helmet.
Tendulkar is the most capped player in the history of the game with 188 Test and 462 one-day appearances since making his debut against Pakistan in Karachi in November, 1989.
Millions of fans in India and across the cricketing world endured an anxious year-long wait before Tendulkar finally reached the landmark in the four-nation tournament, the symbol of one-day supremacy in the continent.
After 33 innings and over a year, Tendulkar finally got to the elusive ton. It took him 138 deliveries, one of the most arduos one-day efforts by the 38-year-old right-hander, to get to the 100 that had become as much a talking point as the team's fortunes in the past 365 days.

The bowler against whom it came about was Shakib Al Hasan and the moment was the fourth delievry of the 43rd over of Indian innings.
Tendulkar clipped it down to square leg and jogged the single, gave a long hard stare to his bat after taking off his helmet before looking heavenward in his signature style. What was missing was emotion.
The diminutive batsman, the most successful batsman in internationla cricket right now, kept it subdued. He shook hands with Suresh Raina, his partner at the other end, and raised his bat to acknowledge the cheering fans with a straight face giving little insight into what was going on his mind amid the drama.
But the teammates in the dressing room were as expressive as they could be as they all got up from their seats to applaud the veteran as he added another feather to an already overcrowded cap.
However, reaching the milestone was no easy task for the player who often makes batting look effortless.
After getting what several former cricketers called a monkey off his back, Tendulkar was dismissed by Mashrafe Mortaza off the second last delivery of the 47th over. The 114-run knock was incidentally Tendulkar's maiden century against Bangladesh.
Upon his dismissal, the Bangladeshi players expectedly gave him a round of applause as he walked back to pavillion with fans cheering him on. His Indian teammates and coach Duncan Fletcher received him at the boundary lauding the iconic player.
But what would be remembered is the wait that Tendulkar endured to get to the milestone. It all began with the 99th ton that he got against South Africa in a World Cup match on March 12 last year.
For a man, who is considered nothing less than god of cricket in India, getting to 100th was considered nothing more than a stroll in the park.
He decided to skip the tour of West Indies that followed and the subsequent trip to England proved a disaster not just for him but for the entire team as it failed to notch a single win in any format of the game.
He got close to scoring the hundred a few times in the home Test series against the West Indies but missed out. The action shifted to Australia after that and though he seemed to be in good form, the Aussies kept their promise of not letting him the reach the milestone against them at least.
He was eventually selected for the ODI tri-series, his first one-day assignment after the World Cup, but once again the hundred eluded him.
Tendulkar then made himself available for the Asia Cup and as destiny would have it, the elusive ton came in the familiar sub-continental environs.

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PCB surprised by Bangladesh stance

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is astonished by the new stance of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Mustafa Kamal that Bangladesh would only tour Pakistan if ICC and its government give clearance. Although no senior official in the PCB was willing to comment officially on Kamal's remarks made at a press conference in Dhaka, but insiders said that chairman Zaka Ashraf and chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad are both disappointed by the change in the BCB stance. "As far as getting clearance from its government is concerned, that was a condition from the start and acceptable to the PCB, but this new condition of only touring if the ICC gave clearance and appointed match officials for the series has come out of the blue," an official, who did not want to be named, said. The official also said that PCB was expecting a positive response from BCB but the whole scenario seems to have changed. "We were very hopeful that Bangladesh would get clearance for the Pakistan tour as their security delegation went back satisfied with the security arrangements and protocol for their team and even gave some suggestions to improve the security net. "We were expecting a positive response from the BCB this week but now it seems the whole scenario has changed as far as the BCB is concerned and that is shocking to us," he said. Another senior official pointed out that Kamal had said during his visit to Pakistan that BCB wanted to see the revival of international cricket in Pakistan and it would support PCB, but it appears as if the BCB now itself is setting tough conditions for the tour by insisting on ICC approval. Kamal has said in Dhaka that if the ICC wouldn't send its match officials for the tour then there was no way the BCB would take the risk of sending its players to Pakistan. The ICC chief executives committee at its meeting recently had introduced a special dispensation for the series that would allow "non-neutral match officials" for bilateral series in "exceptional circumstances", should it find it unsafe to appoint its officials for a series. "We won't go if everything doesn't happen within the standard practice, which is the allocation of match referees, umpires and all things by the ICC," said Kamal in Dhaka. "That (allowing officials from the competing teams) means we are not going there because ICC also has responsibility. If they don't take responsibility, then on what basis can I send my players," he added. Sources in the PCB said that the Bangla Board is also unhappy with the ICC stance on the tour. "The ICC had appointed a special task force to look at ways to revive international cricket in Pakistan and also recommend security protocol for future tours. Now they themselves are saying they can't send their match officials so what purpose has this task force served. "The ICC is not even willing to send a team to inspect the security protocol we are putting in place for the Bangladesh series. How does the ICC then expect international teams to tour Pakistan?" a source said. A PCB official said they would wait and see the response from the BCB before making any official comments. "Let us see first what happens but yes things don't look good for the planned series right now." Pakistan agreed to have just three ODIs in the series and play it at Karachi and Lahore for security purposes. Interestingly, the PCB and BCB have not had very cordial relations since 2009 when the ICC moved the World Cup matches from Pakistan and Ijaz Butt clashed with Kamal over the refusal of Bangladesh to support Pakistan in the ICC meeting

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Pakistan awaits word from Bangladesh for ODI series

The Bangladesh government are expected to rule this week whether it is safe for their national cricket team to become the first side to tour Pakistan in three years. A senior Pakistan cricket Board (PCB) official told Reuters on Sunday they had agreed with their Bangladesh counterparts to play three one-day internationals next month but only if the Bangladesh government approved the tour. "We are hopeful of getting a response from the Bangladesh cricket board this week for the series," chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmad told Reuters. "The Bangladesh board has agreed to play three ODIs if they get security clearance from their government. We will hold these matches in Karachi and Lahore," Ahmad said. Pakistan have not hosted matches since March 2009 when militants attacked the visiting Sri Lanka team in Lahore. Six Pakistani policemen and a van driver were killed in the deadly attack in which five of the Sri Lankan players were also wounded. A nine member security delegation from Bangladesh led by their board chairman, Mostafa Kamal, visited Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore earlier this month to inspect the security arrangements and drills for the proposed series. Ahmad said the delegation had gone home satisfied with the security arrangements but needed final clearance from their government. "The series if it goes ahead is very important for us because it will at least signal the revival of international cricket in Pakistan where the security situation has improved in the last two years," Ahmad said.

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Bangladesh delegation gives thumbs-up to Pakistan security

Hopes of international cricket’s revival in the country rose after the Bangladesh delegation expressed its satisfaction on security arrangements in Pakistan as it prepares to give its feedback ahead of a proposed series between the two countries.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Mustafa Kamal, head of the delegation that also included security officials, has given a thumbs-up to the arrangements after the members inspected facilities in Lahore, wrapping up their short trip of the country.
During their visit, they met government officials in Islamabad, including interior minister Rehman Malik and also assessed facilities and security plans in Karachi.
“We’re satisfied with the security arrangements,” Kamal, accompanied by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf, told reporters in Lahore. “We’d like to send our team to Pakistan because we want to see international cricket back in Pakistan soon.”
Pakistan have been unable to host matches after foreign teams’ refusal to tour the country in the aftermath of a gun attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore. However, the return of top-flight international cricket has now been given a boost after a thumbs-up by the delegation and Kamal said that Bangladesh will help Pakistan in this regard.
“Pakistan have helped us a lot in promoting cricket in our country. Our players have learnt a lot from their cricketers and their presence in the Bangladesh Premier League made the event a success.
“Now we would like to see the return of international cricket to Pakistan. “
The PCB will now await clearance from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh government before getting confirmation to host the series — the first international rubber after the gun attack in March  2009.
“We will write to the ICC to seek permission and we will try to convince them,” said the BCB president.

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Bangladesh assess Pakistan cricket tour security

Bangladesh promised on Saturday to work towards bringing international cricket back to Pakistan after a three-year hiatus, kicking off a visit to assess security for a proposed series in April.
"We will work hand in hand to convince our other colleagues there in the ICC (International Cricket Council) to bring back cricket to Pakistan at the earliest," said Mustafa Kamal, chairman of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
He spoke to reporters in Islamabad, beginning a visit to assess security for Bangladesh's proposed tour to Pakistan three years to the day after attacks on Sri Lankan players saw international cricket suspended in the troubled country.
The nine-member Bangladesh delegation held talks with Interior Minister Rehman Malik and is to tour facilities in Lahore and Karachi, before returning home on March 5 to submit a report for approval to the government in Dhaka.
"I am here with the positive mood of mind," Kamal told a joint news conference with Malik and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf, one day after violence in Pakistan's northwest killed at least 55 people.
On March 3, 2009 gunmen ambushed the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, killing eight Pakistanis and wounding seven visiting players and their assistant coach.
The attack suspended international cricket in the country, stripped Pakistan of its 2011 World Cup hosting rights and forced it to play home series at neutral venues in England, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates.
The PCB, determined to revive international cricket, has invited Bangladesh to tour in April for three one-day internationals.
Pakistan's interior minister promised to guarantee security and cooperate fully with Bangladesh's requirements.
"From landing to departure and while staying in a hotel, or any movement within the country and of course the stadiums, they will all stand fully protected," Malik told the news conference.
The PCB chairman hailed the visit as a "great moment for the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan cricket lovers".
"I am sure that they will be fully satisfied with the security plan being given by the ministry, by the provinces of Sindh and Punjab," he added.
Bangladesh last toured Pakistan in 2008 to play five one-day games, a series which they lost 5-0.
The delegation later visited Gaddafi stadium, near which the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked three years ago. Punjab Police briefed the delegation on the possible security arrangements in case Bangladesh tours.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said it will only assess the situation after the tour is approved to send its umpires and officials.
Even before the March 2009 attacks, many foreign teams steered clear of Pakistan over security fears accompanying a wave of Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked attacks that escalated significantly in 2007.
Other sports such as field hockey, tennis and squash have also suffered as Pakistan continues to be a "no go" area for international sportsmen.

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