Aussies agree India tour despite blasts
PAKISTAN cricket officials have slammed Australia’s decision to tour India in the wake of the country’s recent bomb attacks.
Twenty people died and more than 90 injured when a series of explosions ripped through packed shopping areas in Delhi over the weekend.
The attack was the latest in a number of bombings to hit India. In May 63 people were killed and hundreds injured after a number of bombs hit the city of Jaipur.
But despite the precarious situation Australian cricket officials gave the green light to tour India for a four-Test series.
Their decision came just weeks after they refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy citing security concerns. Their decision, which was backed by five other nations, led to the ICC postponing the event.
Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB’s chief operating officer, told reporters in Lahore Australia’s decision to boycott Pakistan yet travel to India reeked of ‘double standards’.
“I think if Australia tour India it will only highlight their double standards on security issues,” he said.
“Pakistan is as safe a country as India and we had even promised state-level security for the Australians and other teams.
“We have said constantly terrorist attacks can take place anywhere. No country is safer than the other and this point was highlighted after the unfortunate and sad incident in Delhi.
“We find it hard to comprehend that when Australian cricketers can tour a country which has had a succession of bomb attacks what is so different about coming to Pakistan.”
The Australian team are already in India for a series of warm-up games scheduled to take place in Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bangalore which have all ironically been hit with terrorist explosions in the past year.
Paul Marsh, the chief executive of The Australian Cricketers’ Association said he expected the team to be criticised for touring India after refusing to play in neighbouring Pakistan.
