Icc Postpones Champions Trophy

The International Cricket Council has postponed the Champions Trophy until October 2009 following security fears over host country Pakistan.

The eight-team tournament was scheduled to take place in Pakistan next month from 12-28 September, but South Africa had already pulled out because of security worries.

England, Australia and New Zealand had also expressed doubts about playing in Pakistan at the present time.

ICC president David Morgan said there was ‘complete support and sympathy’ for the Pakistan Cricket Board.

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.

‘There was a realisation that, under the current circumstances, some of the teams due to compete had reservations about touring there which could not be removed,’ said Morgan.

‘In those circumstances, it was considered prudent to postpone the event to October 2009, a time when we all hope conditions will be more acceptable for all the competing teams.’

The decision was taken during a teleconference involving the ICC’s executive board, who also agreed that Pakistan would retain the right to host the tournament next year.

But Morgan said: ‘If other members continued to express reservations over issues of safety and security, then the ICC would have the right to decide about the tournament’s location.’

Morgan said cancellation had not been an option and the board had decided against relocating the tournament to Sri Lanka.

The PCB had resisted the possibility of switching the tournament to Sri Lanka, having successfully staged the six-nation Asia Cup in June and July, as it would have lost them a lot of money.

The ICC board will meet in Dubai on 11th-12th September to discuss a new date for the Champions Trophy.