It was just the other day that PCB chief Ejaz Butt told the cricket news media in Lahore that he would not attend the World Cup organizing committee meeting scheduled on May 27 in Mumbai even if Pakistan was invited. Now PCB accepts ICC’s invitation to attend the meeting of the 2011 World Cup host nations on June 3 in Dubai. The meeting was convened by ICC with an objective of reaching an out-of-court settlement over the 2011 WC dispute over Pakistan’s ouster from venue list due to security concerns.

“ICC has scheduled a meeting in Dubai on June 3 to discuss the World Cup 2011 matters in which PCB is also invited. PCB has confirmed its attendance at this meeting,” said a PCB spokesperson.

After ICC took away Pakistan’s share of WC matches, the PCB sent legal notice to ICC, calling ICC decision discriminatory and illegal and also pointed out that the correct procedures had not been followed prior to taking the decision. The meeting, which is going to be attended by ICC president David Morgan, Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, and top officials from the BCCI, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), is the first positive initiative from both sides for reaching an out of the court settlement. The high profile meeting will be attended also by Sharad Pawar, the former BCCI president and Morgan’s chosen successor.

It seems Butt’s diplomatic mission to other host nations yielded result. During his recent trips to Sri Lanka and India, he met DS de Silva, the SLC chairman, and Pawar to channelize support for Pakistan.

Butt latter told the cricket news media that his meeting with BCCI chief Sharad Pawar was successful and he is looking forward to Dubai meeting for some mutually acceptable solution to come up. “I had very detailed discussions with Mr. Pawar and the meeting went well. We decided some solution has to be worked out and we will have an out of court discussion in Dubai. David Morgan (ICC chairman), Mr. Pawar and the heads of SLC and Bangladesh Cricket Board will all be there as we discuss the situation and work towards a solution,” Butt was quoted saying.

Pakistan may suggest one possible solution and that involves Pakistan’s organizing its share of World Cup matches at a neutral venue in the United Arab Emirates. “We will, as per the agreement we have all signed, submit a satisfactory security plan to the ICC for games in Pakistan,” Butt said. “Should that plan not be satisfactory then we will put forward a proposal for a neutral venue, be that in the Middle East or Kuala Lumpur. That process and procedure is part of the hosting agreement that we all signed,” added Butt.

However, the BCCI account does not tally with that of PCB’s. According to BCCI sources, Pawar has made it clear that the idea of neutral venue may not be a workable solution. Although, Butt explained how hosting matches is financially important for a cash strapped PCB, Pawar was unrelenting in his view that BCCI supports ICC in its stance that the 2011 World Cup, is an essentially subcontinent event and should not be taken outside it.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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