PCB still hopeful about Bangladesh series

Lahore, April 25 (IANS) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not given up its hope for a home series against Bangladesh.

The PCB Tuesday asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to keep it updated on the appeal filed in the high court against the petition that sought cancellation of Bangladesh's cricket tour of Pakistan. The tour for ODI and Twenty20 matches, slated to take place here this week, was postponed by the Dhaka High Court for four weeks citing security concerns.

The high court took the decision on a petition of Dhaka university teacher Khandaker Didarus Salam to cancel the tour on security grounds. The court said it will review the situation in a month.

The PCB said that the petition against the tour was devoid of merit and not in public interest.

"After perusing the copy of the writ petition regarding Bangladesh tour of Pakistan, pending in Dhaka High Court Division, PCB sent an official communique to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) asking it to submit copy of the court order and copy of the appeal (if any) filed by BCB against the stay order," PCB said in a statement.

"After perusal of the writ by officials of PCB assisted by legal advisor, prima facie the writ petition is devoid of merits and has been filed against public interest which will be detrimental to the game of cricket," the release said.

Had the tour gone ahead, Bangladesh would have been the first international team to tour Pakistan in three years since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore.

For the last three years, Pakistan has been a no-go zone for international teams and they had to play most of their home matches at neutral venues, mostly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.