So Pakistan will defnitely bat first tomorrow - if they win the toss.
South Africa pull out of Pakistan tour
Wisden Cricinfo staff - September 20, 2003
South Africa have pulled out of their tour of Pakistan, scheduled to begin next week, citing security concerns. The squad was scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Sunday, but a bomb blast on Friday in Karachi - local police maintain that it was not a terrorist outrage - resulted in a last-minute change of heart. South Africa were scheduled to play three Tests and three one-day internationals in Pakistan.
South Africa have attempted to placate their hosts by offering to play their series on their soil, or at a neutral venue, or even postpone it to a later date. "The decision has been taken with much regret," said Ray Mali, president of the United Cricket Board. "We know how much the tour means to the people of Pakistan and it is also a tour which we have been looking forward to. But the safety of our players is our primary concern."
The Pakistan Cricket Board were left shellshocked by the decision, coming just 36 hours after South Africa had confirmed that they would fulfil their commitments. Rameez Raja, the PCB's chief executive, confirmed that the PCB had received a fax cancelling the tour.
"They have shocked us by calling off the tour," said Raja. "It's uncalled for and disappointing."
A UCB delegation had visited Pakistan last week, and pronounced that it was safe to play, even though the PCB had refused to shift matches from Karachi and Peshawar.
Bangladesh, who finished their tour tomorrow, are the only team to have played a full series in Pakistan since the September 11 attacks in 2001. New Zealand went home midway through a tour last year after a bomb exploded outside their hotel in Karachi. Series against West Indies and Australia were then played on neutral soil, with both Sharjah and Colombo hosting Test matches.
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