ICC rules out international cricket in Pakistan in near future

ICC President David Morgan today ruled out the possibility of international cricket's immediate return to Pakistan but insisted that the trouble-torn country should not be isolated.

In the wake of the March 3 attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore, Morgan dismissed the possibility of any international assignments in Pakistan.

"The events in Lahore were absolutely dreadful for the people and cricketers of Pakistan. Quite clearly Pakistan is not a country where we can send cricket teams and officials in the immediate future," Morgan said.

"There needs to be a significant change there in the level of safety and security before we consider it," he added.

At the same time, Morgan urged all other countries to host Pakistan or play in neutral venue to ensure the strife-torn nation is not ostracised in international cricket.

"But Pakistan is an extremely important member of the ICC. It has produced some of the world's greatest cricketers and still has a very strong cricket team. The ICC policy is that Pakistan must not be isolated.

"The future tour programme commitments for Pakistan need to be fulfilled even though they can't be filled on Pakistan soil. We are encouraging other nations to entertain Pakistan on their home grounds and play in third (neutral) countries," said Morgan, in an interaction with the media at the Basin Reserve.

The ICC Executive Board meeting to be held Dubai in mid-April is expected to discuss the issue of safety and security threadbare.

Asked if the sub-continent was safe for playing cricket, Morgan said, "The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup is something that we have to consider very carefully, especially in the Lahore background. It will be staged on the Indian sub-continent. The programme of matches to be staged between the four countries is still to be finalised.

"There is a steering committee under the leadership of Sharad Pawar, the ICC vice-president. They are certainly concentrating on the World Cup. Everything will be discussed," the ICC chief said.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat was optimistic that Pakistan could host matches in the future. "There is no reason why not to think so. If you think back at some other countries in the world, and I think of Ireland, it was not so safe in years gone by. We got to be optimistic, we got to be positive," he said.

"I think the scenario will change and some day in the future, we will be back in Pakistan," said Lorgat.