ICC won't bow to pressure

2008-08-18 09:07

Karachi - The chairperson of the Pakistan Cricket Board has told players to stop "grumbling" and described their concerns over the security arrangements for next month's Champions Trophy as an illogical reaction.

Nasim Ashraf told reporters on Monday that neither the International Cricket Council (ICC) nor its member boards would bow to player-pressure demanding the one-day international tournament be moved from Pakistan.

"Everything is set for the Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan and the ICC fully supports our security plans and planning. It is only a few players who are grumbling and their concerns are emotional pressure not based on reasoning or logic," Ashraf said.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat is scheduled to address a news conference at Lord's in London on Tuesday for a final announcement about the fate of the tournament considered second only in importance to the World Cup.

Lorgat has been in Edinburgh and London meeting with English and South African players and officials.

England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand officials and players have expressed concerns about the security situation in Pakistan ahead of the tournament due to start on Sept. 12.

Stubborn

Despite briefings from an ICC task force, Cricket Australia and New Zealand have said they had yet to decide whether they would send teams to Pakistan.

"I would advise these players to not be stubborn and behave sensibly," Ashraf said.

"They should accept the ICC decision."

He pointed out that even the representative of the players' association (Tim May), who visited Pakistan with the ICC task force, has acknowledged he had never seen such elaborate security arrangements for a cricket event.

"The ICC and its member boards are satisfied with our security arrangements and foolproof planning and there is no reason for not having the Champions Trophy in Pakistan," Ashraf added.

"There is no question of the tournament being relocated to some other country or being postponed. It will be held in Pakistan as scheduled. As it is, there is no other time available to have this event now," he stated.

- Reuters