Lara declines to play in Pakistan

Brian Lara was made an offer to play for the International XI in thetwo unofficial Twenty20 matches in Karachi but he refused becausehe 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."