By IANS,
Dubai : Ending days of speculation, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has finally postponed the Champions Trophy, shcheduled to be held in Pakistan next month, after several teams had refused to tour the strife-torn country over security fears.
“The ICC Board today agreed unanimously to postpone the Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in Pakistan from Sept. 12, until October 2009,” an official ICC statement said Sunday.
Pakistan will retain the right to host the tournament but if other members continued to express reservations over issues of safety and security then the Board would have the right to “relocate the event”, it was agreed during a telephone hook-up of ICC Directors.
South Africa had pulled out of the tournament Friday and Australia, New Zealand, England were also expected to miss the event.
The Board would meet in September to discuss the details of the postponement.
“There was complete support and sympathy for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the situation it finds itself in,” ICC President David Morgan said.
“However, there was also a realisation that, under the circumstances, some of the teams had reservations about touring there which could not be removed.
“Under the circumstances it was considered prudent to postpone the event to October 2009, and we all hope conditions may be more acceptable for all the competing teams.”
The ICC Board consists of the Chairman or President from each of the 10 Full Members plus three Associate Member representatives. Also present at ICC Board meetings is the ICC President, the ICC Chief Executive and the ICC Vice President. ICC’s Principal Advisor, Inderjit Bindra, also attended the teleconference Sunday.