Pak-India snooker series postponed

Pak-India snooker series postponed
Updated on

Summary Alamgeer Shaikh said it was a mutual decision to postpone the clash.

 

KARACHI (AFP) - Pakistan and India on Tuesday postponed their snooker series planned for this week over security fears in host city Karachi, following a bomb attack that killed 48 people.

 

The four-day series -- the first between the arch-rivals in almost eight years -- was due to start on Thursday but the visitors voiced concerns after Sunday s blast and asked for the series to be played later.

 

Pakistan Snooker and Billiards Association president Alamgeer Shaikh said it was a mutual decision to postpone the clash.

 

"It was not possible for any country to play in Karachi after the deadly blast and we accepted India s request to hold the series until the situation gets better in the city," Shaikh told AFP.

 

The neighbours have not played a snooker series since 2005, when India visited. All sporting ties were frozen after the deadly attacks on Mumbai in 2008, which were blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

 

Cricketing ties were revived after a gap of five years when Pakistan toured India in December-January for a short limited-overs series.

 

Despite the interruption, Shaikh praised India for agreeing to the series.

 

"India had shown a great gesture to agree on the series and four of their players were due to arrive on Wednesday, but it s disappointing that the situation forced us to put the series on hold," said Shaikh.

 

Snooker and billiards are fast-growing sports in the sub-continent, and Pakistan s Mohammad Asif won the world amateur snooker title last year.

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