Australia's planned tour of Pakistan in October could become a home series if security fears persist in the subcontinent.

Three Tests are scheduled for Pakistan, but the tour is almost certain to be scrapped following the suicide bombing in Karachi in May.

The bomb, which killed 14 people, exploded outside the New Zealand team's hotel, forcing the tourists to cut their trip short.

Several neutral venues have been put forward, but International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed said Australia would be given first choice if the series were switched from Pakistan.

"Our current rules say the first option is to go to the visiting country and see if it can be played there," Speed said in an interview on Australian television

"If the tournament can be run at a profit we would like it to go ahead."

Australia host Pakistan in a three-game one-day series starting in Melbourne on Wednesday.

'No decision yet'

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said a firm decision would be taken by the middle of the next month.

"We are in the process of evaluating every option, and would definitely like to hold the series in Pakistan as the first choice," PCB director Munawwar Rana told BBC Sport Online.

"All options are still open and switching the three-Test series to Australia is one possibility, along with neutral venues in Sharjah and Morocco."

Rana denied that the Australia Cricket Board (ACB) had proposed to switch the series to Australia and said the question should be directed to the ICC head.

He also denied that the matter would be discussed with the ACB officials during the current one-day series.

"No meeting has been scheduled so far so I can't say anything about the source of this report," he said.