LIVE SCORE

August 24, 2008
 

The ICC Champions Trophy which was scheduled to be played in another 19 days in Pakistan has been postponed altogether to 2009. According to the ICC, it was an unanimous decision taken to postpone it till October 2009. It was further agreed that the ICC would meet in September 2008 to discuss the details of the postponement.

According to the ICC, Pakistan will retain the right to host the tournament but it was agreed that if other Members continued to express reservations over issues of safety and security then the ICC Board would have the right to decide about the tournament’s location.

ICC President David Morgan said: “There was complete support and sympathy for the Pakistan Cricket Board and the situation it finds itself in, which is not of its making.

“However, there was also a realisation that, under the current circumstances, some of the teams due to compete in the ICC Champions Trophy had reservations about touring there which could not be removed.

“In those circumstances it was considered prudent to postpone the event to October 2009, a time when we all hope conditions may be more acceptable for all the competing teams.

“It was agreed Pakistan would retain the right to host the event next year but that if, at a certain time, any Members still had reservations then the ICC’s Board would have the right to relocate the event.”

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “Every one of our Members wishes to ensure the ICC Champions Trophy is a world-class event and the prospect of relocating it at short notice in order to make sure it was played this year would not allow that criterion to be fulfilled.

“Today’s agreement provides clarity for our Members and in September we will look to put in place a timeframe for arrangements ahead of the event taking place in 2009.”

The ICC Board consists of the Chairman or President from each of the 10 Full Members plus three Associate Member representatives. Also present at ICC Board meetings is the ICC President, who chairs proceedings, the ICC Chief Executive and the ICC Vice President. The ICC’s Principal Advisor, Inderjit Bindra, attends meeting at the request of the President and was present on Sunday’s call. (from the ICC Media Release)