Pakistan to host Champions Trophy

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Dr Nasim Ashraf today said that Pakistan would host the Champions Trophy as planned and the International Cricket Council would appoint a commission to ensure security, putting an end to all speculation over the Champions Trophy venue.

Lahore, July 24 : Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Dr Nasim Ashraf today said that Pakistan would host the Champions Trophy as planned and the International Cricket Council would appoint a commission to ensure security, putting an end to all speculation over the Champions Trophy venue.

The ICC executive board held a teleconference today and decided that the security situation in Pakistan is safe enough to hold the event.

"The ideal scenario is that without compromising on the safety and security of the players, the tournament is held in Pakistan."

"In that case the members must view this decision in the larger interest of the game and make this important tournament a success," an ICC spokesman had said.

Cricket's top eight nations - Australia, South Africa, England, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and the West Indies - compete in the biennial event, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan from September 11-28.

Australia, England and New Zealand had raised concerns about security in Pakistan.

"For the ICC, every player is important. We have assured that there will be no compromise on the safety of the players and the host country will be responsible for that," he said.

Media reports in Pakistan and India suggested that the security assessments conducted by the ICC, before and during the Asia Cup which Pakistan hosted in June-July, are favourable.

However a suicide bomb blast in Islamabad earlier this month, which killed 19 people, and a series of small bombings in Karachi have renewed security fears.

Rawalpindi, which adjoins Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore are the three venues for the Trophy matches.

ANI