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The International Cricket Council (ICC) stripped Pakistan of hosting this year's Champions Trophy on Sunday after several teams voiced security concerns about playing in the country.

The tournament had been postponed from 2008 to September/October this year after five of the eight teams involved in the premier one-day event had said they would not send a team due to security worries.

"The ICC Board accepted that, with several members expressing reservations about touring Pakistan, it would be prudent to relocate the event .... from that country," the ICC said in a statement after its two-day board meeting in Perth.

"In view of the challenges facing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which are out of its control, the Board agreed that, irrespective of the location of the event, Pakistan would retain the revenue due for hosting the tournament."

The board intends to find a new location before its next scheduled meeting in April and plan to form a task team to visit Pakistan and find ways to work with the PCB to ensure more international cricket is played in the country.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat sympathised with Pakistan but cited the need for certainty in planning the event.

"It is unfortunate the ICC Champions Trophy will not take place in Pakistan due to circumstances completely beyond the control of the PCB," he added.

"However, the Board has accepted the need for certainty in planning for and delivering a world-class event and will now assess where the event should be held."



GREAT SHAME

Pakistan's sports minister Aftab Shah Jillani said the decision to relocate the tournament was disappointing.

"It is a great shame because we have been working hard for this tournament and we were confident we could provide the best security for the Champions Trophy," Jillani told Reuters.

Pakistan cricket has been badly hit by the refusal of teams to travel there following several suicide bombings last year.

They did not play a single test in 2008 as a result.

Security concerns in Pakistan and strained political ties with India following militant attacks in Mumbai in November have also raised concerns over the 2011 one-day World Cup, due to be jointly staged alongside Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

(Source: Reuters)