Icc Names New Champions Trophy Dates
The International Cricket Council has announced new rescheduled dates in 2009 to stage the Champions Trophy, postponed from this year due to security concerns over host nation Pakistan.
The rescheduled tournament will take place in Pakistan from 24th September to 5th October 2009 with a single city now hosting the 12-day competition rather than the two proposed for this year’s event.
The host city and a full schedule of the tournament will be announced at a later date.
Pakistan is currently fighting Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants in the northwestern tribal regions bordering Afghanistan and has suffered a string of deadly suicide bomb attacks in the last year, which have killed more than 1,000 people.
Prior to its cancellation South Africa pulled out of the 2008 event, while England, New Zealand and Australia all expressed doubts about playing in Pakistan.
The ICC was under pressure to move the event away from Pakistan but it is hoped that India’s tour of the country early next year will reassure players and sponsors that security issues have been resolved.
There was also a scheduling issue over where the rejigged Champions Trophy would fit into the calendar but the new timings for the event fit into the Future Tours Programme for 2009 consequently ruling out any fixture clashes with other major series or competitions.
With the advent of a raft of new Twenty20 competitions appearing on the domestic and international cricket circuit there had been fears that the Champions Trophy would be axed to accommodate the new events.
