20 Jan 2009

Australia not keen to play in Pakistan, says PCB

6:25 am on 20 January 2009

The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt says Australia are not keen to tour Pakistan for a one-day series in April and May and the matches could be played at neutral venues.

Butt says Australia still has security convers about playing in Pakistan and the chances of an agreement are slim .

He says England, Malaysia and the Emirates states of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai could host the five one-day internationals and a twenty20 match,

Neutral venues will be discussed when Butt meets Cricket Australia officials in Perth later this month during the ICC executive board meeting.

Australia refused to tour Pakistan last year for a test series, citing security and safety concerns for its players, and hasn't played there since `1998.