Johannesburg: South Africa's participation in the Sharjah Cup was on the verge of being called off on Thursday as a result of the escalating war in Iraq. South African cricket chiefs were holding talks with government officials to discuss the trip to the troubled region where the tournament, which also features Pakistan and Sri Lanka, is due to be held from April 1-10. The talks were called as South African nationals were advised not to visit the Persian Gulf. "We wish to advise South Africans not to visit the Gulf region in this period," said foreign ministry spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa. The South African team is due to leave for Sharjah on March 28 and was due to discuss the issue when it met for a training camp in Pretoria on Monday. "The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) and the government are discussing the situation and we will take their advice very seriously," a spokesman for the UCBSA said. A decision on the trip is expected to be made later Thursday. The South African team, under new skipper Graeme Smith, is also due to play in another three-nation contest in Bangladesh immediately after the Sharjah event followed by two Test matches against the hosts. It is understood that talks will also be held between Sharjah organiser Abdulrehman Bukhatir and UCBSA chief executive Gerald Majola when the two attend the World Cup semi-final between India and Kenya in Durban later on Thursday. Regardless of South Africa's reservations, the Pakistan team still intended to travel to Sharjah. "As far as we are concerned the tournament is on and we are preparing for it," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman Samiul Hasan said from Lahore. "In fact, we have today announced the team for the tournament." Copyright AFP 2001

Tags: cricket, south africa, sharjah cup, war in iraq, united cricket board of south africa, ucbsa, south african skipper graeme smith, abdulrehman bukhatir, ucbsa chief executive gerald majola, world cup s.