Rawalpindi: The Pakistan Cricket Board says it has contingency plans for its team to play international cricket next month after the Champions Trophy was postponed for one year due to security concerns.

PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said Monday that Pakistan were in talks with Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand to try and slot matches in September.

“We have couple of plans and we hope that our players would be playing some international cricket next month,” Naghmi said. There was also talk of Pakistan touring South Africa next month to play a triangular series — also featuring India — while Sri Lanka have also expressed their willingness to play a ODI series.

The BCCI, however, denied having any such plans. “We are not playing anywhere during this period,” secretary Niranjan Shah said.

Pakistan only World Cup winning captain Imran Khan said he feared more trouble for Pakistan cricket after the Champions Trophy postponement, saying the country is run by the wrong people who are destroying everything.

“The postponement of Champions Trophy is a body blow to Pakistan but since the country is run by the wrong people I see more trouble for cricket in Pakistan,” he said.

“The event is postponed until next year but if the current government — trying to outdo Musharraf — stays I fear the situation could worsen rather than improve,” said Imran.

A die-hard critic of Musharraf, Imran blamed the military ruler for the current scenario. Former Test captains Intikhab Alam and wicketkeeper Moin Khan said the postponement of the Champions Trophy was the right decision.

“At least we did not lose the hosting rights and, in the present circumstances, I think it was the right decision to delay the tournament for one year,” Moin said.

Alam said nobody in the world could give guarantees about possible suicide bombings — one of the reasons for the postponement of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

“Its (Champions Trophy) the second mega event after the World Cup and it was a wise decision to postpone it,” Alam said. (Agencies)