PCB consulting foreign security agencies to salvage 2011 WC

The Pakistan cricket Board is consulting foreign security companies in a bid to revive international cricket in the country and prevent relocation of the 2011 World Cup matches to be held in Pakistan.

A senior official of the board said the PCB had got detailed presentations from some foreign security companies on a new security plan for teams and officials visiting Pakistan for international cricket events.

"An Australian company has given us a presentation while we are also talking to some other companies as well," Saleem Altaf, the chief operating officer of the board told PTI.

Altaf, however, admitted that Pakistan faced a stiff challenge trying to convince the International Cricket Council not to shift its 2011 World Cup matches from the country.

He indicated that in a worst case scenario, Pakistan was expecting the ICC would relocate some matches of the World Cup because of security concerns, while retain others.

"There were security issues with Sri Lanka, Kenya and Zimbabwe also in the 1996 and 2003 World Cups but these countries did host World Cup matches although some were moved away or cancelled," he said.

Pakistan cricket has suffered tremendously from the uncertain security situation prevailing in the country with the worst blow coming last month when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore.