Lara declines to play T20 matches in Pakistan.....

Brian Lara was made an offer to play for the International XI in the two unofficial Twenty20 matches in Karachi but he refused because he was concerned about the message his participation would send out, given that the PCB had disassociated itself from the games.

 

"Yes, an offer was made to me," Lara told the Trinidad Guardian. "Until such time as the governing body in Pakistan [PCB] is able to convince the rest of the world that the best safety mechanisms have been put in place, and the ICC agrees, I would have to say no."

The Twenty20 games between the International XI and a Pakistan All Stars XI at the National Stadium will mark the return of international players and cricket, albeit unofficial, to Pakistan for the first time since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009.

Lara 156 & Chanderpaul 85 v Pakistan ODI 2005