ICC President David Morgan said the Dubai-based ICC had looked at staging matches in a ‘fifth country’, amidst speculation that matches could be shifted to the UAE but he told reporters at Lord’s here on Thursday: ‘The (ICC) board has considered that but it has decided the 14 matches originally allocated to Pakistan should take place in the three other subcontinent countries of the full members, that is India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.’
In a Board meeting being held in London, the ICC refused to give back Pakistan its share of 14 matches, besides ruling out the possibility of involving a fifth country for the event to be staged by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka now.
"ICC CWC 2011 Central Organising Committee has been asked to meet as soon as possible and recommend to the ICC Board, venues within the other three host countries for the 14 matches originally set for Pakistan," the ICC said in a statement.
"We need a recommendation from those four host nations, including Pakistan. They will come forward with the location of those matches to the commercial board of the ICC," he added. Also ICC's commercial board (IDI) also confirmed that Lahore would no longer be the World Cup Administrative Headquarter and it has been shifted to Mumbai.
"The IDI Board remains committed to resolve this issue as soon as possible as there is an urgent need to press on with arrangements for the ICC's flagship event, now less than two years away," Morgan stated.
The PCB is currently locked in a legal battle with the ICC on the issue and ICC President said the governing body is trying hard to find an amicable solution to it. "When two parties are at odds, it is often difficult to reach a settlement. We have not given up hope of reaching a settlement ... the legal action does not help but I don't think it makes it any more difficult," he said.
Meanwhile, the PCB accepted the ICC Board's offer of a task team to help ensure Pakistan retains its position in international cricket. The task team will be led by ICC Director Giles Clarke, the Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, and include David Richardson, the ICC General Manager – Cricket.
"We are delighted the PCB has accepted the ICC's offer of assistance as we seek to ensure Pakistan is not isolated as a result of circumstances beyond the control of its cricket administrators," Morgan said. "We look forward to working with the PCB over the coming months on this issue," he added.
Morgan with ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, told PCB, who have taken legal action against the ICC, would still receive a hosting fee of $750,000 per match — $10.5 million in total.
