dhobi_bhai

This is not good news.

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The ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has asked the 2011 World Cup organising committee to consider shifting venues if the political climate in Pakistan worsens. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are to co-host the World Cup in February-March 2011 but Lorgat said security concerns in Pakistan need to be monitored.

"It [alternate venues] is a consideration we have to give attention to," Lorgat said at a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the tournament. "This is not something we discussed today, except to ask the organisers to consider alternate host city venues within the country as well as alternate country venues in the event something is not favourable in one of the particular host countries."

Source: CricInfo

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I raised the concern of Pakistan being in the danger of getting disqualified from hosting World Cup matches quite some time ago. When ICC canceled/postponed Champions Trophy last year, it was a clear sign of indication that Pakistan was deemed unsafe. Add to the fact that before the Champions Trophy, Australia and NewZealand both postponed/canceled their tours to Pakistan. Australia has agreed to play this year outside of the country, in Dubai/Abu Dhabi. India canceled their tour, the signs do not look encouraging. The situation have worsened since Australia's postponed tour last year and Champions Trophy getting canceled. If Sri Lanka/Bangladesh are the only two countries left to tour Pakistan (scratch India out of the picture), what does that say to the rest of the boards? I have high doubts that any World Cup matches will be hosted in "one of the particular host countries" (as article mentions).

AQ

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