ICC postpones Champions Trophy in Pakistan

he International Cricket Council (ICC) Sunday postponed until next year September's Champions Trophy in Pakistan over security fears.

The move came two days after South Africa refused to send their team, while players' associations from Australia, New Zealand and England urged their players not to travel to the troubled country over serious security concerns.

The decision to postpone the event was taken after a tele-conference of the ICC executive board in Dubai on Sunday.

Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said while disappointing, the decision to postpone was a sort of victory for Pakistan.

"We are naturally disappointed but in a way the postponement is a victory for us. Under these circumstances there were only two solutions: either to relocate the event to Sri Lanka or postpone it.

"Had it been relocated it would have deprived us of the hosting rights," Naghmi told AFP from Islamabad, Pakistan.

"We are sure that the event will be held in Pakistan next year."

The ICC desperately tried to convince the wavering nations by sending two security task teams to Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa but they failed to allay their fears.

The event, scheduled to be held from September 12-28, had ran into trouble after Australia postponed their full tour to Pakistan over security fears triggered in the wake of suicide bombings earlier this year.

Australia were scheduled to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match on their tour in March-April.

England, New Zealand and South Africa also expressed concerns over security for the biennial competition following a wave of suicide bombings and political instability in nuclear-armed Pakistan.

The ICC continuously declared Pakistan as safe to host the Trophy and earlier this month confined the tournament to two venues -- Lahore and Karachi -- dropping Rawalpindi as security could not be assessed in the city.

Pakistan successfully staged the six-nation Asia Cup with India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and the hosts competing in June-July this year to press claims to stage the Champions Trophy.

However since then a suicide bombing in Islamabad, a series of blasts in Karachi and twin blasts at an arms manufacturing factory near Islamabad on Thursday killed more than 100 people in all and sealed the fate of the tournament.

The ICC last month announced it would keep the Champions Trophy in Pakistan despite security fears and appointed an eight-man task team to convince the reluctant teams.