Security? Wives aren’t worried, flying to Pak

For a cricket series that almost got scuttled over security concerns, here’s the clincher that there’s nothing to worry: wives of ...

For a cricket series that almost got scuttled over security concerns, here’s the clincher that there’s nothing to worry: wives of four newly-wed Indian cricketers have booked their passage to Pakistan tomorrow, setting at rest all speculation over perceived ‘‘jehadi threats’’ to Indian players.

It’s learnt that the players were earlier advised not to travel to Pakistan with their wives given the security concerns. But the incident-free conclusion of the first leg of the tour seems to have dispelled doubts.

Stand-in-captain Rahul Dravid’s wife Vijeta, VVS Laxman’s new bride Shailaja, spinner Murali Kartik’s wife Shweta Kartik and Ajit Agarkar’s wife Fatima have seats booked on Indian Airlines flight IC-845 to Lahore tomorrow where they will join their husbands before the second Test starting Monday.

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While Vijeta Dravid and Shweta Kartik have open tickets, VVS Laxman’s wife is slated to return after the Lahore Test on April 9. Fatima Agarkar has, however, booked her return ticket for April 16, the fourth day of the Rawalpindi Test.

As it turns out, there have so far been no major secutity concerns. It’s learnt that only three routine threats, like possible disruption of matches by the crowd, emerged during the tour. There was no specific threat to any player, no intelligence on a terrorist attack or information on any group trying to derail the series midway.