Australia has agreed to split its postponed tour to Pakistan in two parts and will tour in April-May next year and again in 2010, a joint statement from the two boards said Monday. The tour, due to take place in March-April this year, was put off after several Australian players hesitated over touring Pakistan in the wake of a series of suicide bombings before the Feb. 18 national polls. It will, however, in all likelihood again clash with the Indian Premier League. “Cricket Australia (CA) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Australia will tour Pakistan in April-May 2009 and again in 2010,” the boards said in the statement. “The 2009 tour of Pakistan will consist of five One-Day Internationals and a Twenty20 international following the Australian team's commitments in South Africa,” the boards added. Australia's rescheduled Pakistan tour means it will clash with the Indian Premier League next year. The inaugural IPL, which started on the weekend, clashed with the original Pakistan tour and CA made it clear contracted players had to fulfil their national commitments first. The IPL is set to stage next year's tournament in April and May, while Australia will play five one dayers and a Twenty20 match from mid-April to early May. “Our players will be required to go to Pakistan,” a CA spokesman was quoted as saying in Sydney Morning Herald Monday. Next year's visit to Pakistan must fit between Australia's tour of South Africa and the Ashes series in England. Australia will return to Pakistan in August-September 2010 to play three Test matches, with final dates and venues to be agreed depending on each nation's Future Tours Program (FTP) obligations,” said the statement. “As well as agreement for the Australian team to tour Pakistan, the PCB has also confirmed its tour to Australia in 2009-10 for three Tests, five One-Day Internationals and a Twenty20 international.” PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf said he was pleased with the outcome “although disappointed that the tour couldn't be completed as originally scheduled.” __
