Pakistan assesses security in UAE

Pakistan has sent a two-man team to the UAE to assess security arrangements for next month's series against Australia amid heightened safety demands, an official said.

Pakistan has sent a two-man team to the United Arab Emirates to assess security arrangements for next month's series against Australia amid heightened safety demands, an official said on Tuesday.

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A brazen attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore on March 3, in which seven players and their assistant coach were wounded, has raised security fears for global sporting events.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Salim Altaf vowed to guarantee the best security for the Australian team.

"Since the March 3 attacks, there is a heightened security need for all sports in the world and hopefully we will finalise the best security in cooperation with the UAE government," Altaf told AFP.

Even before the attacks on Sri Lankan team, Pakistan had been a danger zone for foreign teams. Australia, which postponed a tour of Pakistan in March last year, forced their hosts to shift the series to the UAE.

Last month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) shifted the eight-team Champions Trophy from Pakistan to South Africa after several teams refused to play in the country, where Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants are hunkered down.