Lorgat assures terror-free WC

Haroon Lorgat, chief executive of the International Cricket Council, has said the major cricket nations will work in unison to ensure next year’s World Cup does not fall victim to growing terrorist threats as India increasingly becomes the focus of safety concerns.

Haroon Lorgat, chief executive of the International Cricket Council, has said the major cricket nations will work in unison to ensure next year’s World Cup does not fall victim to growing terrorist threats as India increasingly becomes the focus of safety concerns.

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Fears that Indian cricket, responsible for 75% of the game’s global revenue, could be severely disrupted by terrorism have heightened after the leaking of a security report that advises players they should seriously consider withdrawing from the Indian Premier League because of a credible terrorism threat by al-Qaida.

The report, drawn up by the England team’s security advisor, Reg Dickason, has been commissioned by players’ associations in England, Australia and South Africa.

Any major disruption to the IPL would automatically put the survival of next year’s World Cup in doubt, with India, co-hosts with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, staging the majority of games. Pakistan has already been removed as a host because of terrorism, and its team are cricketing itinerants, playing matches in adopted homes in the Emirates and England. For India to go the same way would leave international cricket in crisis.

Eight English players are due to compete in the IPL.