By K. Hussain, IANS,
Karachi : Apprehensions are growing in Pakistan’s cricket circles that ‘white boards’ have ganged up against the country to take September’s Champions Trophy away from here.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Sunday said that its executive board will decide the fate of the 2008 Champions Trophy within the next couple of days with its chief executive Haroon Logart saying that the decision will be acceptable to all the competing nations.
However, there is a whispering campaign going on in the cricket circles here that the boards from Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa have already decided to force the ICC to move the eight-nation contest out of Pakistan.
Sources said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is of the view that these countries are pushing for the tournament to be held in South Africa as they have categorically told the ICC that their players will not be safe in Pakistan. The Champions Trophy is slated for Sept 11-28.
A PCB official told IANS on condition of anonymity that the general feeling prevailing at the moment is that the board from ‘white countries’ are out to deprive Pakistan of the Champions Trophy on security grounds.
The PCB is, however, banking on the support of the Asia bloc especially the Indian cricket board that yields a lot of influence in world cricket matters.
PCB officials are of the view that the relocation of the Champions Trophy will be bad news for all Asian nations especially because of the fact that Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are to co-host the World Cup in 2011.
They are of the view that the possible relocation of the Champions Trophy can affect the World Cup as well because other competing nations can once again put up the ‘security excuse’ to take away the World Cup from Asia.