India consider options

The India government are currently considering whether the national team's scheduled tour of Pakistan will go ahead because of security fears in the strife-torn nation.

President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Shashank Manohar, told media today that the governing body was awaiting a security clearance from the government before announcing whether the tour will proceed as planned.

India are due to tour Pakistan for three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match from January 13 to February 19.

"The tour will be finalised once we get the clearance from the government," Manohar said. "Nothing can be confirmed before that."

A decision is expected to be made within the next fortnight, although there is some concern the government will not give the tour the green light after they denied permission to the national junior hockey team to visit Pakistan earlier this month.

Amid those concerns Pakistan Cricket Board president Ijaz Butt yesterday phoned Manohar to gain assurances that the tour would still go ahead.

A statement from the PCB said Manohar had indicated his desire to send a team, pending the government clearance.

"The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Shashank Manohar has assured Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman (PCB) Ijaz Butt that Indian cricket team will visit Pakistan as per schedule," the statement read.

"While Talking with Ijaz on phone on Tuesday, Shashank said he has written to his government in India for the clearance of the tour.

"He added that the BCCI is expected to get the reply in next 10 to 12 days and the PCB would be informed accordingly."

The Pakistan Cricket Board will be sweating on that decision after Australia pulled out of their tour of the country earlier this year, while the Champions Trophy was postponed after a number of countries voiced their concern at the security situation in the country.

That lack of activity has had an impact on the PCB's finances, with chief executive officer Saleem Altaf yesterday revealing the governing body would look to cut jobs in a cost-saving exercise.

"There are two major problems we are facing," said Altaf. "One is a surplus of staff hired by the PCB on hefty salaries. The other is teams' refusal to tour Pakistan.

"So in effect we have incurred huge expenses without earning any income."