Karachi: The 2011 World Cup, scheduled in the subcontinent, ran into fresh trouble with a senior cricket board official here indicating that Pakistan might decline to play its matches in India.
Saleem Altaf, chief operating officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said PCB would take its time before deciding where it would play its 2011 World Cup matches.
“It is our right to decide where we play our World Cup matches now that the games have been relocated from Pakistan,” he said.
Pakistan was due to host 14 games, including one semifinal, and the home side was supposed to play all its matches in front of home crowds.
But the ICC now has to reschedule and allocate new venues for these 14 matches with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the joint hosts of the tournament, vying to get those games.
Review decision
Meanwhile, Pakistan Sports Minister Pir Aftab Shah Jillani has asked the International Cricket Council to review its decision to shift the 2011 World Cup matches.
Describing the ICC’s decision as a big blow to Pakistan cricket, he said it was taken in utter haste as there was still two years left for the tournament.
Jillani said the government was even willing to use the military to provide security and protection for the World Cup matches in Pakistan.
“That was an option available to us but I think the ICC has acted in haste and must reconsider its decision as this could have far ranging effects on Pakistan and its cricket set-up,” Jillani said.
He also criticised the nation’s Cricket Board (PCB) for failing to convince the ICC and its member countries to keep the World Cup matches in Pakistan
Mulls series switch to NZ
In another development, Pakistan are considering whether to switch a home series to New Zealand after the Black Caps refused to tour the troubled country, a cricket official said yesterday.
New Zealand were scheduled to tour Pakistan in November-December for a three-Test and five-match one-day series but had hinted they will not tour following attacks on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore last month.
The brazen attacks, which left seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach injured besides killing eight policemen, put paid to Pakistan’s chances of hosting international cricket for the foreseeable future.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt said he held detailed meetings with New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan here and was considering their offer to switch the series to New Zealand.
“We have discussed the series but have yet to reach a final decision on it,” Butt said. “At the moment New Zealand are averse to touring Pakistan. So among the options available, the best is to play in New Zealand.”
Butt said Pakistan can save a lot of money by playing in New Zealand.
“The recent series cancellations in Pakistan have hit our finances, so by playing in New Zealand we can save a lot of money on security arrangements and on various other things,” said Butt, who took over as chairman last year.
Pakistan is spending a huge amount on private security guards for its limited over series against Australia, starting here from Wednesday.
The series was relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after Australia refused to send its team to Pakistan on security grounds.
