By Martin Gough BBC Sport Online

There was disappointment, but an air of resignation, from Pakistan's cricket authorities when Australia confirmed their decision not to tour in October.

But that did little to diminish complaints that the game in Pakistan faces financial ruin if teams continue to refuse to visit the country.

And, although India and Pakistan have not played each other for two years, there is still a feeling in Asia that they are being harshly treated by the rest of the cricket world.

Player-safety is paramount, but money talks in terms of sending teams around the world on a regular basis.

Test countries only make money when their team plays at home - tours are organised on the proviso that a return visit will be made - so Pakistan have been giving without receiving of late.

Even before the events of 11 September, a political row with India over the disputed border territory of Kashmir saw the neighbouring government refuse their side permission to play.

That saw India pull out of the Asian Test Championship, devaluing what had been a lucrative tournament in 1999, and a full tour by India of Pakistan also went by the board.

The New Zealand team were in Singapore, en route for Pakistan, when the New York bombings took place.

And, although they rescheduled their tour for this April, the Black Caps were again on the plane home when a terrorist bomb went off outside their hotel, killing 11 people.

An International Cricket Council resolution in the midst of last year's troubles permitted series to be moved to neutral venues.

But the only example so far, when Pakistan's home series against West Indies was moved to Sharjah, proved deeply unsatisfactory.

Having already moved the one-day home series against Australia to Kenya this month, Pakistan are still sounding out potential venues for the Tests.

Bangladesh, which as East Pakistan was home territory in the 1950s, could emerge as favourite, with Morocco (about to host its first one-day tournament) another candidate.

But Pakistan's neighbours could also be called upon to enforce a boycott of Australia, should the Asian Cricket Council's (ACC) resolution be brought into play.

The ACC announced in February that any team not touring an Asian country would be hit by a similar refusal from all of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"I sincerely hope that a boycott does not come into equation," Bangladesh Cricket Board President Mohammad Ali Asgherin said on Friday.