Champions Trophy Postponed Till Next Year
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The International Cricket Council has postponed next month’s Champions Trophy until 2009.
The eight-team tournament was scheduled to take place in Pakistan from 12-28 September, but South Africa had already pulled out because of security worries.
And England, Australia and New Zealand had also expressed doubts about playing in Pakistan at the present time.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, however, had vowed to withdraw its team if the event was moved to another country.
Hundreds of people have died as a result of violence in Pakistan this year, and there were two suicide bombings last week in the towns of Wah and Dera Ismail Khan which claimed the lives of 95 people and left dozens injured.
chaloo jee yeh tu hona hee tha. And now with a month long vacant period some boards might want to arrange some games. I can forsee another tournament/series featuring Pakistan and India together
Re: Breaking News: Champions Trophy Postponed Till Next Year
Right decision. Pakistan is not the right place for holding an international tournament at the moment. Imagine if one of the foreign players becomes a victim of one of the mad terrorists, we will never live it down and no team will visit Pakistan for years to come. Better not to have the tournament than risk lives.
Re: Breaking News: Champions Trophy Postponed Till Next Year
I am not thrilled. I was looking forward for the event to get a permanent placement this year, and in Pakistan! I am disgusted at Islamabad bombings which further persuaded the western media to not accept Pakistan's status in holding an International event of this magnitude and disgusted at the decision of SA which was well before the recent bombings.
World Cup 2011 is being held in Asia, and Pakistan is likely to host a few matches, or at least it was supposed to. By Australia standing up for the rest of the boards and the rest of the nations following suit, will Pakistan's only chance of hosting World Cup games include teams such as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe? Will Pakistan be out of the picture altogether? These questions really need answering, what will the status of this country in 3 years' time. It boggles my mind and I think it will once again be a huge issue. If the teams are refusing to send their teams for Champions Trophy, imagine the backlash for the biggest event. With this tournament postponed, ICC have left some questions unanswered.
Pakistan hope to play in South Africa or Australia
KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan hope to play a one-day series either in South Africa or Australia after the postponement of the Champions Trophy they were scheduled to host next month.
Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), told Reuters on Monday the board had opened discussions with South Africa and Australia after the tournament was postponed for 13 months.
“We feel that our team is in dire need of exposure in foreign conditions and, with the postponement of the Champions Trophy, we believe we can now have an offshore series with the cooperation of other boards,” Naghmi said.
“The South Africans have responded well to our proposal because, frankly speaking, I think most of the countries realise that Pakistan cricket has suffered a big setback with the postponement of the Champions Trophy.”
The ICC rescheduled the eight-nation tournament on Sunday after England, Australia, New Zealand and West Indies said they would join South Africa and pull out of the competition because of security fears.
It now appears that the next year will not work as Australia and India are having another go at it (CricInfo) and the timetable to cram this in at the end of Ashes next year will not be appealing to the majority. England have yet to come out of their dressing room and voice their concerns on the whole situation. Next year is also in shambles and what in baloney is “Pakistan will be given first preference”? If the situation remains the same next year, there is a high chance that Champions Trophy would be relocated. In 2010, Champions Trophy switches it’s venue to non-Asian countries anyway so it is pointless to remain concerned about the security this far in advance and giving Pakistan “the first choice”, even knowing that a year later in 2010, Pakistan would be out of contention and would be traveling to England/South Africa for another Champions Trophy. This has become a big mess and more in part of Pakistan not given full consideration.
Time for Pakistan to take tough stand and FIGHT the crap out of these 'cricket hooligan' nations who dare tell us that conditions are "not suitable in Pakistan for their Royal assses as compare to 'commoners' living in Pakistan. I say F you to them all !!!!
Hang Shafqat Nagmi for entering lateral talks with SA for replacment ODI.
Man ! even writing this is so ugly and vomity !
South Africa has rejected the tri-series proposal (source). Sri Lanka series may be on the up and up. Pakistan hasn’t played cricket with a non-subcontinent team all year (and no, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong don’t count).
