da apostaganha： KARACHI, April 16: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has agreedto scrap one Test during their December’s tour to South Africa
Sports Reporter17-Apr-2002KARACHI, April 16: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has agreedto scrap one Test during their December’s tour to South Africa.The PCB, which is pressing the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) to playthree Tests in Pakistan between Oct 1 and 24, has formally acceptedUnited Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) proposals to play twoTests during the four-week tour.A spokesman of the PCB said Pakistan will play two Tests and threeone-day internationals in Zimbabwe between first week of November andfirst week of December. He added that Pakistan will play two Tests andfive one-day internationals in South Africa between first week ofDecember and first week of January.”The exact tour dates still require some adjustments because theschedule upto next May is very tight as we have internationalcommitments one after another,” PCB director Brig Munawwar Rana said.Immediately after the World Cup, starting Feb 8, Pakistan is toparticipate in the Sharjah Cup before hosting India between April 7and May 20. The tour is subject to New Delhi’s approval.The spokesman further said the team, after completing its assignmentin South Africa in the first week of January, will not return home butwill stay back for the World Cup where it plays the opener againstAustralia on Feb 9 at Johannesburg.”The current plan is that before the World Cup starts Feb 8, we havethree weeks. The boys will get one week of (paid) holidays and theremaining two weeks will be spent on preparations, training and warmupmatches against local sides,” he said.The reduction of one Test in Africa means Pakistan are now left with amaximum of nine Tests, if Australia agree to play three Tests inOctober, and a minimum of 24 one-day internationals unto the WorldCup.The PCB official said the reduction in Tests in Africa have been madekeeping into consideration the World Cup.”South Africa proposed that instead of the third Test, two additionalone-dayers can be played which will benefit both the teams for theWorld Cup. “The proposal suited us as there is no change in playingdays in South Africa,” Rana said.South Africa are again scheduled to tour Pakistan next year inNovember. If PCB’s tit-for-tat response to Australia is taken intoconsideration, South Africa should play two Tests. Pakistan saidearlier this week that if Australia played two Tests in October, itwould also play two Tests on its return visit in December 2004. Butthe PCB spokesman said UCBSA had set no conditions.”I agree on the theory of reciprocity. But South Africa’s tour toPakistan is still open as they have not set any preconditions,” hesaid.The PCB, earlier this week, had further argued that if Australiaplayed two Tests in October, Pakistan would be labeled as a two-Testhost nation.