Pakistan board faces logistical headache

The politics of India's forthcoming tour of Pakistan might have largely been sorted, but now the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is facing another problem - arranging the itinerary.

A report in the Pakistan-based News claims that PCB officials are seriously worried about the logistics involved in the trip. The main centres - Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi - there are not too many issues. Accommodation is plentiful, the facilities inside the grounds are good, and security is tight and well drilled.

But an unnamed PCB official is quoted as saying that other proposed venues - such as Multan and Faisalabad - pose altogether more serious concerns. "The available accommodation is not enough in these cities to cater to the requirements of the series," the source told the newspaper. "You can imagine the logistical problems we are facing in scheduling the matches.

"Faisalabad has the problem of few five or four star hotels and the biggest problem is there is limited space for the media in the stadium itself," he added. "The board is also keeping in mind that Faisalabad this season has already hosted one Test and three one-dayers against Bangladesh, South Africa and New Zealand."

The detailed itinerary has yet to be announced but an official of the Indian board was quoted yesterday as saying that the first Test would be in Karachi, with subsequent Tests in Lahore and Faisalabad.

"The first two one-day internationals would be held in Lahore," he added, "followed by matches at Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Karachi."