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First Test likely to be shifted to Madras

In the face of threats from the Shiv Sena, the first Test between India and Pakistan is likely to be played in Madras instead of Delhi as the capital's administration will not be able to assign enough number of security personnel in view of Republic Day and related functions.

According to sources in the Delhi and District Cricket Association, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit visited the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Monday to oversee the security arrangements. She later suggested that the first Test, scheduled to begin on January 28, be shifted to Madras in view of the security needs of the capital for Republic Day and the Beating of the Retreat functions. It would be difficult to depute enough personnel for the enhanced security required for the match, the CM felt.

DDCA sources, however, made it clear that they had so far not received any communication from the Board of Control for Cricket in India or the government. ''We are ready to host any match allotted to us by the BCCI," DDCA vice-president C K Khanna told UNI.

Madras was scheduled to host the second Test from February 4 to 8. In the revised schedule, the capital is to likely to host the second Test on the same dates.

Shiv Sena activists had dug up the pitch at Ferozeshah Kotla on the night of January 6 and warned that they would not allow the Pakistan team to play on Indian soil.

Following the incident, Union Home Minister L K Advani held high-level meetings to provide adequate security cover for the match and had insisted that it would be held as per the schedule.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board representative Saeed Ahmed Rafi arrived in Delhi on Monday to take stock of the situation. Brigadier Rafi said he would assess the cricketing environment at the venues before making any comment on the fate of the series. He is expected to visit Madras and Calcutta among other venues during his visit.

Pakistan High Commissioner to India Ashraf Jehangir Qazi visited the Kotla ground a couple of days back to assess the arrangements. Qazi also met Nikhil Kumar, special secretary (security), at the home ministry on Saturday to discuss the measures being taken by the authorities to ensure the Pakistan team's safety. The hour-long meeting was attended by Vivek Katju, joint secretary (Pakistan), at the external affairs ministry, and senior police officers. 'I am happy to say that our Indian friends have responded with alacrity and determination,'' the high commissioner said after the meeting.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Choudhry Shujjaat Hussain said on Monday that his country's cricket team will tour India provided it was assured adequate security.

A foreign ministry spokesman in Islamabad, however, warned that if India failed to provide tight security to Pakistan players, the tour would be cancelled. He said threats by Indian extremists were ''worrying and Pakistan will not make its players a target of Indian extremism.''

''If India cannot provide security to our diplomats and cricketers the Pakistan team will not play the Asian Cricket Championship in India as well,'' he said.

But Pakistani fans want the tour to go ahead.

"Politics and sports should not mix,'' Abbas Tahir, a 15-year-old student, said today. ''It's unfortunate we have not played each other in Test cricket in such a long time. Both teams have world class players.''

If the tour goes ahead it will be the first time India and Pakistan have played a Test in 11 years.

"I hope the Indian tour materialises because I know Wasim Akram can lead our team to victory,'' said Mustanzir Najam, 28.

Najam said a Test victory against India would be even better than winning the World Cup, something Pakistan did in 1992.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee reiterated on Sunday his government's resolve to hold the India-Pakistan cricket series as scheduled. He said his government's efforts were to improve relations with Pakistan.

''We know very well that they support terrorism in India, but that issue is being tackled at a different level. Disruption of cricket matches will not help in any way,'' the prime minister said.

Home Minister Advani told reporters on Sunday that there was no need to worry about the threats issued to Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi over the tour. He said his government would provide adequate security to the Pakistani diplomats.

The Delhi police arrested 14 Shiv Sainiks as a preventive measure on Sunday even as the party said no amount of 'pressure' would stop it from disturbing the India-Pakistan Test. The police had arrested 18 Sainiks in the city on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi said his party would resort to "spontaneous action" if the Pakistan cricket team went ahead with its tour.

Joshi, who is also president of the Mumbai Cricket Association, said it was not possible to welcome Pakistani cricketers as that nation was abetting terrorism in Kashmir. "They want to extend the hand of friendship and at the same time, they attack the people. This is not possible,'' the chief minister said.

UNI