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.