Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Team India’s ODI captain, is escorted by securitymen during the Asia Cup in Karachi

Colombo: Sri Lanka has been listed as an alternative venue for the forthcoming Champions Trophy, in September, but Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) would like the tournament to be held in Pakistan itself.

The decision will be known on Thursday afternoon, after a teleconference involving the International Cricket Council’s Executive Board. Indications are that the event may have to be moved out of Pakistan.

“We’re ready to host the Champions Trophy, but our stand is that the tournament should remain in Pakistan... We’ve only just seen the Asia Cup being hosted there without any incident,” the SLC’s chief executive, Duleep Mendis, told The Telegraph.

A former captain, Mendis was the manager when Sri Lanka won the 1996 World Cup at the Gaddafi in Lahore. Incidentally, the-then captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, now heads SLC.

As Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa have expressed reservations, because of the “general security environment” in Pakistan, the teleconference could actually become a slanging conference.

Indeed, not only Sri Lanka, even India and Bangladesh (as of Wednesday evening) want Pakistan to host the event.

The Indian Board’s stated position is that it will abide by the government’s decision. It has absolutely no misgivings of its own.

Given that many players from four countries have reservations, it’s to be seen whether a compromise is reached — perhaps by not playing, say, in Karachi — or whether extreme positions get taken.

Because of the unusual circumstances, it’s not clear whether seven votes (of Test-playing countries) will also be required for the Champions Trophy to be shifted to a new venue.

The Sri Lankans have hosted the tournament once, in 2002-03.