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Published 07 Jan, 2014 07:29am

Pakistan still hesitant on Asia Cup participation

MUMBAI: Even after Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) decision to go ahead with holding the upcoming Asia Cup in Bangladesh, Pakistan has not committed itself finally to feature in the premier continental event.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will assess the security situation alongside laying down several conditions, effectively indicating that there is no guarantee that it will take part, The Times of India reports quoting sources at the PCB.

The Asia Cup is slated to be held from Feb 25 to March 7 in Dhaka.

“Pakistan will have to assess the developing situation carefully before confirming its participation if the matches are held in Bangladesh,” the newspaper quoted a high-level PCB official close to the Board’s interim chief Najam Sethi.

He also termed the situation in Bangladesh as adverse to the Pakistan cricket team.

On Saturday, ACC decided to go ahead with the tournament in Bangladesh despite reports of nationwide political clashes in the country.

Reports also said the situation in Bangladesh is volatile as Sunday’s parliamentary election was marred by violence and protests.

The PCB has expressed its concerns over anti-Pakistani sentiments prevailing in Bangladesh and said it couldn’t ignore the threat perception to its team in Dhaka.

The PCB has also revealed that the country’s foreign office is as much concerned.

“The PCB and Pakistan’s Foreign Office cannot ignore the particular nature of the security threat to the Pakistan team if it is asked to play in the sort of civil strife circumstances that prevail in Bangladesh today,” the official told the newspaper.—Agencies

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