Pakistan stripped of World Cup
The Sri Lankan cricket team had to be flown out of Pakistan by helicopter after the Lahore attacks last month
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Friday, 17, Apr 2009 10:25
Pakistan has been dumped as a co-host country for the 2011 Cricket World Cup because of its fragile security situation, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced.
At its quarterly board meeting in Dubai on Friday, the ICC said it could not sanction matches to be played in the Asian state because there was no guarantee for the safety of players, coaching staff, officials and supporters.
Pakistan was due to co-host the event with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka but the ICC has opted to reduce the hosting rights to just three countries - in the main because of the problems of terrorism in Pakistan.
An incident in Lahore last month, when the Sri Lankan cricket team bus came under fire from terrorist gunmen - killing seven people, played a major part in the decision according to ICC president David Morgan.
"Our number one priority is to... deliver a safe, secure and successful event," said Morgan, who described it as "a regrettable decision".
"The uncertainty created by events in Pakistan created a huge question mark over our ability to do that."
Morgan also effectively ruled out a U-turn on the decision if circumstances change over the next two years, saying such a scenario was "highly unlikely".
The Lahore incident was discussed in depth by the executive committee of the ICC, with match referee Chris Broad - one of the men caught up during the attack - giving evidence to the commission.
After the event Broad openly criticised the involvement of Pakistani security forces, claiming that they failed to provide adequate assistance to ICC officials and the Sri Lankan touring party before, during and after the terrorist ambush.
The cancellation of the World Cup in Pakistan means that the country has lost the hosting rights to two major cricketing tournaments in the last nine months alone.
In 2008, the ICC postponed the Champions Trophy over similar concerns about the safety of the participants - resulting in South Africa being handed hosting duties for the rescheduled tournament later this year.