ICC to decide on Pakistan cricket tournament amid security concerns
23/7/2008 17:47
The International Cricket Council (ICC)will decide tomorrow whether
Pakistan can host the Champions Trophy in September as doubts have persisted
over security in the South Asian country.
The ICC executive board will hold a
teleconference tomorrow to make a decision on Champions Trophy host
country.
The Champions Trophy, the year's biggest one-day tournament, is
originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan from September 11 to 28. The
tournament involves top eight nations including Pakistan.
However, Australia,
England and New Zealand have raised concerns about security situations in
Pakistan as the country is fighting against militants in northwestern tribal
regions and has seen a spate of suicide attacks over the past year.
Pakistan
Cricket Board (PCB) has promised fool-proof security measures for the event and
is confident the event will stay in Pakistan.
"We are confident that the ICC
will take the right decision and keep the tournament in Pakistan. It is very
important for Pakistan cricket." said the PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf
today.
The ICC held a meeting on Sunday at its Dubai headquarters to inform
the teams of the security arrangements made by Pakistan in the June-July Asia
Cup and its security plans for the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan has held a
peaceful Asia Cup event from June 24 to July 6 in Karachi and Lahore. Karachi,
Lahore and Rawalpindi are designated to be Champions Trophy venues.
Sri
Lanka, an alternative venue for the event, has also been plagued by frequent
violence in recent months. Sources said South Africa and England are tipped as
potential alternate locations for the event.
Xinhua
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