Rights taken away after several member boards express reservations about touring the troubled country
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today decided to take away the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy from Pakistan after several member boards expressed reservations about touring the troubled country.
The new venue for the eight-team event would be decided by the ICC before its next scheduled meeting in April, the ICC said after the final day of its two-day Board meeting here.
However, Pakistan would "retain the revenue due for hosting the tournament" which is scheduled to be held in September-October this year.
Pakistan would be disappointed to have lost the chance to host the event which was first scheduled to be held in October last year but had to be postponed due to the volatile situation in the country.
"The (ICC) Board accepted that, with several members expressing reservations about touring Pakistan, it would be prudent to relocate the event, scheduled for September-October, from that country," an ICC statement said.
"In view of the challenges facing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which are out of its control, the (ICC) Board agreed that, irrespective of the location of the event, Pakistan would retain the revenue due for hosting the tournament," it added.
The Board also offered to form a task team to visit Pakistan and work with the PCB to find ways to ensure that, wherever possible, international cricket is played in the country in the future. PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt was among those who attended the meeting, besides ICC President David Morgan, Vice-President Sharad Pawar, Chief Executive Lorgat, Principal Advisor IS Bindra and other chiefs of member boards.
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