WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Reuters) – A decision on the venues for New Zealand’s proposed tour of Pakistan later this year would be known within three weeks, New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said yesterday.

New Zealand had been scheduled to tour Pakistan in November and December but on Friday the International Cricket Council (ICC) effectively ruled the strife-torn country a no-go zone.

The ICC board dumped Pakistan as a co-host of the 2011 World Cup following an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March, which increased already heightened concerns about safety in the country. “I think we have made it pretty clear that touring Pakistan was not a viable option,” Vaughan told Reuters via telephone from Dubai, where he was attending the ICC meeting.

“We are still very keen to play Pakistan in November and December, (but) the actual venue for that tour, I’m in discussions with the Pakistan Cricket Board at the moment (and) hoping to finalise that within the next two to three weeks.”

Vaughan said he had visited the stadium at Sports City in Dubai, which is hosting two games of Pakistan’s five-match one-day series against Australia later this week.

DUBAI ‘IMPRESSIVE’
“It’s a very impressive facility. Very impressive,” Vaughan said. “It doesn’t have too many practice facilities associated with it, it’s just a beautiful arena (and) it seemed to have a very good cricket wicket.

Australia’s other three matches against Pakistan are in Abu Dhabi, which had already been suggested as a possible venue for New Zealand’s tour. Vaughan said the possibility of New Zealand hosting part of the tour was also still being discussed.

“I think that is one of the options we are looking at,” he said. But trying to play serious international cricket any time in November (in New Zealand) is pretty much a dubious prospect so that is one of the factors that would need to be taken into account.”

Vaughan said other factors that needed to be considered were the commercial broadcasting and sponsorship agreements.

“The basic principle is that this is Pakistan’s series, it was supposed to be held there but won’t because of other factors, so we have to play in a venue that will optimise the commercial return that would benefit Pakistan.

“If we do host games in New Zealand we would need to make sure that it is a commercially neutral position (for NZC) (but) … New Zealand Cricket would not seek to profit out of Pakistan’s misfortune of not being able to host the tour.”