PCB working on back-up plans if India refuse to tour

Lahore, Nov 25 (UNI) Pakistan's cricket bosses are getting mentally prepared to shift the home series against India to neutral venues in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

India is scheduled to tour Pakistan and play three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International during its Jaunary 4-February 19 tour.

Though the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is talking about hosting the series, they are also working on back-up plans.

Sources close to PCB told 'The News' that organisers in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah- two venues where the series against India could take place have been told to get everything in place so that the matches could be staged there successfully if India refuse to tour Pakistan.'' PCB chief Ijaz Butt is to tour India later this week to meet the BCCI in a bid to save the tour.

Sources said ''during his India trip, if Butt failed to convince India to tour Pakistan then he will try to get their confirmation to instead play it in UAE.'' UNI XC CS RC RAI1228