Pakistan keen to host South Africa in Emirates

Pakistan have offered to play their "home" series against South Africa in the UAE after the Proteas refused to tour the troubled south Asian nation due to security fears. The South Africans were scheduled to visit Pakistan in October and November to play three Tests, five one-day games and two Twenty20 matches. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) now want to play those games in the UAE.

"South Africa were supposed to tour us, but because of their security fears they declined to come," said Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman. "That's why we have offered to play this full series of Tests, one-dayers and Twenty20 at he neutral venue of the Emirates." The South Africans are keen on playing the series in their own country, but Pakistan are not impressed by that option. "They have offered to instead host the series in South Africa as a home series for Pakistan," said Butt.

"But if we play the series in South Africa we would incur losses. So we have offered them to play in the Emirates and we hope they will agree to our proposal. "We will definitely be hosting the series on schedule as it is an important one for us." Likely venues are the Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Sports City. South Africa - who refused to play in Karachi, but toured Pakistan in 2003 and 2008 - are not the first team to pull out of a scheduled Test tour to Pakistan because of security concerns.

Australia have refused to tour the country since 1998 and Pakistan will be "hosting" a Test series against them in England later this year. Last year Pakistan played the limited-overs part of their series against Australia and New Zealand in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. They have also hosted games against the West Indies and New Zealand in the UAE. arizvi@thenational.ae

ESSENTIALS

The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.

The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.

Slow loris biog

From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore

Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets

Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation

Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night

Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans