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New Delhi, India
Australian cricket team's tour of Pakistan is under threat after a deadly blast at a mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar killed over 50 people and left many injured on Friday (March 04). The attack took place at Jamia mosque in Qissa Khwani bazaar area of Peshawar when worshippers inside were offering Friday prayers.
The attack has taken place on the first day of the first Test match between Pakistan and Australia in Rawalpindi, which is less than 200 kilometres away from Peshawar. As per AFP, at least 50 people have been killed while many others have been injured in the attack.
As per an eyewitness, an attacker entered the mosque and 'opened fire' on worshippers inside, killing them 'one by one'. He then went on to blow himself up resulting in more deaths. Cricket Australia (CA) has been left alarmed after the attack and is reportedly monitoring the tour situation.
As per a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Cricket Australia is in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade after the blast. However, it is unlikely that the ongoing tour of the Australian cricket team will be majorly affected by the terror attack.
Nonetheless, it is a concerning situation for CA despite the squad having been offered presidential-style security for the entire tour. Australia had arrived in Islamabad last week ahead of the start of their full-fledged tour of Pakistan, the country's first in 24 years.
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Australia are in Pakistan for a three-match Test series followed by as many ODIs and a one-off T20I game. While the Test matches will be played in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore, the ODIs and T20I will all be played in Rawalpindi. The Australian team is the first major team to tour Pakistan since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team's bus in Lahore in 2009.
Following the attack on the Sri Lankan team's bus, all major nations had retained from touring Pakistan. However, international cricket has started returning back to the country in the last few years. It will come as a huge setback for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) if the ongoing tour of Australia is derailed due to the bomb blast in Peshawar.