The International Cricket Council (ICC) will conduct its own security assessment before posting umpires for Sri Lanka's proposed test tour of Pakistan early next year, its chief executive said on Monday. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) agreed to step in after the Indian government refused permission for the team to tour Pakistan from next month due to strained bilateral relations following last month's militant siege in Mumbai.
The Indian government has blamed Islamist militants based in Pakistan for the raid, which left 179 people dead. Major teams have refused to tour Pakistan this year over player safety fears and the ICC postponed the September Champions Trophy until late next year with the venue to be confirmed.
"I'm convinced that the Sri Lankan cricket board will do everything necessary to ascertain whether (there is any risk)," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat told a news conference.
ASSURANCES SOUGHT "They will also seek assurances from the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board). And they will do the independent assessment," he said. "In turn, if we get the request for support, our independent consultant will certainly do so. Lorgat hoped the situation would improve in Pakistan, where there has been a spate of suicide bombings in the last year. Pakistan have not played a test match in 2008 after teams refused to tour.
"Every one of us wants it, we hope matches resume," he said. "I know that is wishful, (but) we would like to see cricket on Pakistan soil. "But again, that depends on the safety and security that prevails" added Lorgat, who was in Mohali to watch the second test between India and England. The ICC executive board would discuss the Champions Trophy when it meets at January end.
Security in Pakistan and its strained ties with India have raised doubts about the 2011 World Cup, to be jointly staged in the Indian sub-continent. ICC president David Morgan on Sunday said the ruling body would assess security before allotting games. Lorgat said it was too early to take a call on the tournament.