30 Nov 2008

Pakistan chief Butt warns of split in world cricket

1:11 pm on 30 November 2008

The Pakistan Cricket Board's chairman Ijaz Butt says the game is in danger of a damaging split if countries such as England and Australia refuse to tour Asia after the bloodshed in India.

England cut short their one-day series in India after 195 people died in the Mumbai attacks and captain Kevin Pietersen says there is till doubt whether they will return to play two tests before Christmas.

Pakistan have also suffered from teams refusing to tour because of security threats, most recently when the ICC Champions Trophy was postponed in September.

Butt says it's a a mutual thing and if teams won't tour India or Pakistan then they won't tour either.

He says cricket could ease its troubles but there needs to be co-operation between all the test-playing nations.