Pakistan lodge protest over World Cup shift

Cricinfo staff

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The Pakistan board has lodged a formal protest with the ICC over the shifting of World Cup matches from the country due to security reasons.

"We have registered our protest during the ICC meeting and our stance was that all four co-hosts of the World Cup were not treated equally by the ICC and they should have waited for six months before taking this decision," Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed told AFP.

The ICC executive board took the decision following a meeting on Friday in Dubai, citing the "uncertain security situation" in Pakistan in the aftermath of the Lahore terror attacks on March 3, when six policemen and two civilians were killed as gunmen fired at the Sri Lankan team bus.

The ICC had also said that Pakistan was unlikely to resume hosting any international cricket at all until 2011. India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the other co-hosts for the World Cup, will now be hosting the 14 matches, including one semi-final, originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan.

Saeed questioned the ICC's rationale of hosting games in the other three Asian countries. "India shifted their cricket league [the IPL] to South Africa over security fears," he said. "We could not tour Bangladesh because there were security fears in March.

"The situation in Sri Lanka was not good either, so from the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt (to) our director general Javed Miandad, everyone has said that ICC must reconsider the decision."

David Morgan, the ICC president, said the meeting with the PCB officials assumed great importance and helped serve a dual purpose. "It allowed myself and Haroon [Lorgat] the chance to outline the ICC's objectives and the challenges facing the world governing body and, by extension, our members, something we have done in our previous presentations," said Morgan.

"But on top of that it also gave us the opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the ICC and its members to the cause of Pakistan cricket at a time when it is facing some immense difficulties that are beyond its control.

"The country has done so many good things for international cricket, producing some of the greatest players and teams the world has ever seen, and we must do all we can to ensure it can continue to do that in the years ahead."

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC's chief executive, said the meeting was useful and informative. "We realise that Pakistan is faced with unique challenges and we will do everything possible to ensure it continues to play international cricket," he said.