We can still host 2011 WC matches if security improves: PCB

Even after giving up their claim to host the 2011 World Cup matches, Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday claimed that the strife-torn country may still get to host some games if the security situation improves in the next few months.

Even after giving up their claim to host the 2011 World Cup matches, Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday claimed that the strife-torn country may still get to host some games if the security situation improves in the next few months.

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“We can ask the ICC to send a security delegation to review the security situation in Pakistan and if the situation has improved we can end up still hosting some of our matches at home,” Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt said.

Butt, however, made it clear that the final decision would be with the ICC and the hosting of matches would depend on teams willing to tour Pakistan.

“But we are hopeful because already the security situation is improving in Pakistan and it will hopefully get better in next five to six months,” he said on Friday.

Pakistan was stripped of its share of 14 World Cup matches by the ICC board in April after the Sri Lankan cricket team came under a terrorist attack in Lahore in which six policemen were killed and six players were injured.

Under the settlement, Butt said Pakistan now has to withdraw all its legal petitions against the ICC in 15 days including the one over the shifting of the World Cup secretariat from Lahore to Mumbai.