By IANS,
Dubai: A task team of International Cricket Council discussed strategies and possible solutions to assist the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in meeting its commitments under the Future Tours Programmes, an ICC statement said Sunday.
No team is ready to visit Pakistan for bilateral tours given the security situation in the country. The Sri Lankan team was attacked in March in Lahore following which Pakistan was removed as co-host of the 2010 World Cup.
The five-member task team, led by the ICC Director and England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman Giles Clarke, considered a wide range of issues, including how best the PCB could fulfil its commitments under FTP and meet its obligations under its various broadcast and sponsorship agreements.
“It was a purposeful and constructive meeting in which we discussed how the ICC can support the PCB in a situation which is beyond its control. Cricket must stand together and defend itself when assailed by terrorists, and the national sport of Pakistan is severely threatened by these atrocities,” Clarke said in the statement.
“The objective of the meeting was to come up with possible solutions in consultation with the PCB to ensure that the cricketing talent remains attached and attracted to the sport despite the PCB’s inability to host international cricket at home in the near future, and that whenever international cricket returns to Pakistan the side is as competitive as ever.
The PCB made a presentation in which it sought ICC’s assistance in retaining its position as a competitive team in world cricket and a self-sustaining and revenue generating organisation.
“PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and his colleagues have done a very good job under immensely difficult circumstances,” Clarke said.
“The task team will now put together its report that will be submitted to the ICC Board at its February 2010 meeting for consideration.”