September 18 2008
The renowned cricket celebrities of Pakistan cricket have demanded on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to review its rules in which the cricket playing countries are given option to pick and choose foreign tours.
The call was made when reports came about Australia they are going to visit India for upcoming match series despite of the recent bomb explosions.
That was Australia who refused to come in Pakistan for Champions Trophy arguing on the basis of same type of security matters in Pakistan.
Ramiz Raja (ex-Pakistan captain) stated that the ICC should change its rules about giving pick-and-choose option the cricket playing countries. That policy can raise many disputes, same as it happened now.
Intikhab Alam also supported that argument and demanded that ICC should take quick steps and action towards it. He is also the ex-captain of Pakistani team.
He also said that ICC should play its firm role. The governing authority should make it sure that no country should pick and choose tours on their own liking or disliking.
That rule should be replace by any other uniform policy in which the council should make decisions about foreign tours by taking the security matters into consideration.
Ramiz Raja said that these few countries are forming the group and following the combined policy in their decisions. They are doing what they want and discouraging the cricket and moving it at their own will.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has blamed Cricket Australia for adopting double policies and dual standards in taking cricket tours. It is un-understandable why Australia agreed to tour India while in the past it snubbed all assurances given by Pakistan's authorities over security measures.
According to the current ICC rules, if any team refused to tour under its Future Tours Program (FTP), he would be fined heavily. The only exclusion is that if the situation occurs which is beyond the visiting side’s control.
As we all know that Australia refused to visit Pakistan earlier this year.
Australia was the leading country among several others who were feared and having concerns about the Asian country’s hosting of the Champions Trophy this month. As a result of that confrontation that tournament was postponed until October 2009.
Australia would play four Test match series in India. The series will start on 2nd of October and end up on 10th of November.
