captain Wasim Akram and three other players were arrested over alleged marijuana possession in St. George's, Grenada.

Pakistan tour manager Khalid Mahmood told the Caribbean News Agency (CANA) the tour would be discussed later.

A senior official of the Grenada Cricket Association (GCA) indicated the three-day match between Pakistan and the West Indies' Under-23 team scheduled to start here today could be cancelled.

"The game is in trouble and maybe the tour. (The Pakistanis) cancelled their practice this morning. The fellows are not in a good state of mind. Mentally, those guys are destroyed,'' the GCA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told CANA.

Mahmood said: "We would like very much to continue with this tour and we would like to keep that cricket part of it independent of this serious matter (the drugs-related charges).

"But considering the fact that most of the boys are very disappointed, very frustrated and in a state of shock, we will certainly discuss what we are going to do about the rest of the matches.

"But certainly we want the tour to continue.'' In Bermuda, BCBC president Ed Bailey expressed shock over the happenings, which also place this segment of the Pakistan tour in doubt.

"It's sad if it is true,'' said Bailey yesterday. "We have no tolerance for drugs in Bermuda but we are not going to prejudge the situation.'' Pakistan are due to come to Bermuda for matches on May 7 and 8 against the national team. Ironically, Bailey himself is in possession of their air tickets because their return to Europe is being arranged from here. He will no doubt have to be contacted if Pakistan decide to abruptly end their tour over the incident.

Thousands of local residents will be holding their breath as they have already booked passage to the West Indies for the three-Test series, which is scheduled to begin in Trinidad next Saturday. Further Tests are slated for Barbados and Antigua.

Wasim, his vice-captain and pace partner Waqar Younis, paceman Aaqib Javed and leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed were released on $370 bail each after they were held by police on Grenada's scenic Grand Anse beach late on Thursday.

The Pakistanis, English tourists Susan Ross and Joan Coughlin and Grenadian Irvin Wilson were charged with being "in possession of a controlled drug,'' believed to marijuana, police told CANA.

All but Wilson were released on bail and will appear in court on Tuesday.