Pak may still lose out, fears Imran

Karachi: The ICC has retained Pakistan as the host of next month’s Champions Trophy, for now but former captains like Imran Khan fear that the event would be taken away from the troubled country at the 11th hour due to mounting security worries. The former allrounder felt there was every possibility of ICC taking it away as it would be difficult to convince countries like Australia and England about the security situation here. “The security concerns are many and when we have 65 suicide attacks last year so the foreign players are obviously scared of coming to Pakistan,” Imran said. Another former great Javed Miandad echoed his views. “I really don’t know what to say but the way things are, the way foreign teams are constantly talking about the security, it seems difficult that the tournament would be held in reply to Pakistan,” he said.

ECB unhappy

Calcutta: Cricket Australia has informed the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that Kent, Twenty20 Cup runners-up, will not receive an invitation to the proposed Champions’ League event in 2008, says A Staff Reporter. According to an ECB release, both the ECB and Kent are bitterly disappointed at this stance, as Kent had offered various solutions aimed at overcoming the objections of the organisers. Meanwhile, Champions League will be held in India later this year.

Quality strip

Kanpur: Having drawn flak for the ‘under-prepared’ Green Park pitch during the India-South Africa Test in April, the board this time is committed to prepare a quality strip for the India-England ODI due on November 20. BCCI’s grounds and pitches committee chairman Daljeet Singh, after inspecting the preparation of the pitch, said a sample of the soil to be used in making the 22 yards would be examined in order to ensure a quality pitch during the ODI.

Tanvir warned

Karachi: Sohail Tanvir may deny committing any disciplinary violations but senior officials of the PCB have spoken to the pacer on his erratic behaviour. “We did have a word with him and we have explained to him clearly that he needs to be very careful about his behaviour,” a senior PCB official said on condition of anonymity. The discussion with Tanvir was held after the Pakistan team management, at a recent meeting of the PCB in Lahore, revealed that he was keeping late nights.

Asif case

Karachi: The fact-finding committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) investigating the Mohammed Asif Dubai detention case has finalised its recommendations. “Since the committee was constituted by the chairman of the board to look into the case we will submit the report to him for further action,” Shafqat Naghmi, PCB chief operating officer, told reporters in Lahore on Friday.