ICC moving Champions Trophy out of Pakistan

Pakistan will not host the Champions Trophy [Images] this year after several teams voiced concerns about playing in the country, the International Cricket Council [Images] (ICC [Images]) said Sunday.

The tournament was postponed from 2008 to September/October this year after five of the eight teams involved in the premier one-day event had said they would not send a team due to security concerns.

"The ICC Board accepted that, with several members expressing reservations about touring Pakistan, it would be prudent to relocate the event .... from that country," it said in a statement after its two-day board meeting in Perth.

"The Board resolved to make a decision on the location for the event before its next scheduled meeting, in April."

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat sympathised with Pakistan but cited the need for certainty in planning the event.

"It is unfortunate the ICC Champions Trophy will not take place in Pakistan due to circumstances completely beyond the control of the PCB," he added.

"However, the Board has accepted the need for certainty in planning for and delivering a world-class event and will now assess where the event should be held."

Pakistan cricket has been badly hit by the refusal of teams to travel there due to security concerns following several suicide bombings last year.

"In view of the challenges facing the Pakistan Cricket Board which are out of its control, the Board agreed that, irrespective of the location of the event, Pakistan would retain the revenue due for hosting the tournament," the ICC said.

The ICC also intends to form a task team that could visit Pakistan and find ways to work with the PCB to ensure more international cricket is played in that country in the future.

Security concerns in Pakistan and strained political ties with India following militant attacks in Mumbai [Images] in November have also raised concerns over the 2011 one-day World Cup, due to be jointly staged alongside Sri Lanka [Images] and Bangladesh.

© Copyright 2009 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.