PCB to end legal battle with ICC

Cricinfo staff

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Ijaz Butt: "We have decided 90-95 % that the matter of the World Cup 2011 will be settled out of court" © Associated Press Enlarge

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The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided on an out-of-court settlement with the ICC over the issue of its hosting games during the 2011 World Cup. The PCB chairman Ijaz Butt confirmed that Pakistan will not pursue its legal battle but added that it was due for a substantial compensation from the ICC.

Pakistan had been stripped of its share of 14 World Cup matches after the terror strikes on the Sri Lankan cricketers last March.

"We have decided 90-95 % that the matter of the World Cup 2011 will be settled out of court as Pakistan remains the co-host of the mega event," Butt said on Thursday. "The legal course has ended."

Butt confirmed that the PCB would be adequately compensated by the ICC, in addition to the promised guarantee money. "Pakistan will get the hosting rights fee of $10.5 million and apart from that the ICC will compensate us a substantial amount, which at this point of time I don't want to reveal," Butt said.

Butt earlier ruled out the possibility of hosting Pakistan's home games at a neutral venue. "We did think over hosting the matches on neutral venues but it could have cost us huge losses," he said.

The PCB in its meeting also made it clear that the team would travel to India for its matches in the 2011 World Cup, only if the Pakistan government granted them permission.

"Our team can only play in India if our government allows it," Butt said. "And if we have a situation where our team is not able to travel to India then the World Cup could be affected or cancelled."