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Australia's Pakistan cricket tour scrapped

Australia have scrapped their upcoming cricket tour to Pakistan over security fears, their cricket boards said in a statement yesterday, after bombs killed at least 25 people in the eastern city of Lahore.

"I can confirm they have conveyed to us that they have cancelled the tour. We are disappointed and we are issuing a policy statement soon," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Shafqat Nagmi told reporters.

The tour was due to begin on March 29 and Lahore was one of the venues where Australia were due to play.

"Cricket Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board have announced that the Australian cricket team tour to Pakistan scheduled for March-April 2008 has been postponed," the joint statement by the boards said. "New dates for the tour will be decided in the near future."

The chairmen of the two boards -- the PCB's Nasim Ashraf and CA's Creagh O'Connor -- will meet in Dubai next weekend to further discuss possible dates for the deferred tour, it said.

Both the boards agreed that it would not be possible to reschedule the series soon.

"The ICC future tours programme is complex and changes require extensive consultation with other member boards with whom Australia and Pakistan have existing commitments. This process will be undertaken over coming weeks," the statement said.

Also See: Bombs kill dozens in Pakistan
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