RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP):
THE PAKISTAN Cricket Board is adamant it should host the Champions Trophy in September, despite growing concerns from leading international players and officials about security.
On the eve of an International Cricket Council (ICC) vote on the issue, the PCB's senior official said Pakistan's hosting rights should be beyond dispute because it has met all the security needs of competing teams.
The ICC's 10 full member nations will vote today.
In jeopardy
Pakistan's status is in jeopardy because the Australia, New Zealand and England boards and players' representatives have expressed concerns about security in the country. Sri Lanka is among the alternate venues.
"If it's a battle of legality and logic, we have won it," the PCB's chief operating officer, Shafqat Naghmi, told the Associated Press.
Naghmi said Pakistan had offered foolproof security to all the participating teams of the Champions Trophy and neutral security officials had toured Pakistan during the last two months.
"But if still they say that they have reservations, what can we do?" Naghmi said.
Safety concerns
The reservations do remain, with Australian Cricketers Association chief executive, Paul Marsh, among those urging a change of venue.
"Based on expert reports read and heard during Sunday's meeting, there is no way the ACA can recommend touring Pakistan at this time," Marsh said.
In an interview on Geo News channel widely reported in the Indian media, Marsh said despite the good rating for security when Pakistan hosted the Asian Cup final last month, safety concerns were omnipresent.
"There is a credible threat in all the major cities in Pakistan, including those which are hosting the event, and they expect bombing in the coming week. So it's what we are concerned about," Marsh said.
An ICC spokesman said that, if required, voting will be held in which a two-thirds majority will be required to shift the Champions Trophy from Pakistan.
Holding the tournament in Pakistan could prompt a partial player boycott among the concerned nations, with Australia's Andrew Symonds having already said he would not travel there.
Australia said such a boycott would undermine a Pakistan-staged tournament, while stopping short of saying how it would vote.
"We've always been of the belief that international cricket is all about the best versus the best, and to do anything else would compromise the brand and the reputation of cricket," Cricket Australia (CA) spokesman Peter Young told the Australian Associated Press.
