ICC confirms plans to meet stakeholders

LAHORE - The ICC's task force for the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan has agreed to send delegations to meet the stakeholders from New Zealand, Australia, England and South Africa.

It has also confirmed that the tournament will be staged at two venues - Lahore and Karachi - with Rawalpindi not now hosting any matches.

The group dispatched to the UK, led by ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat, will present early next week, while the delegation to New Zealand and Australia, will be led by ICC General Manager - Cricket, David Richardson.

That group will also include Tim May, the Chief Executive of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), and also Pakistan coach and former Australia fast bowler Geoff Lawson. It will present on August 14 (New Zealand) and 15 August (Australia).

The decisions were approved as part of a telephone hook-up of the task team on Tuesday evening following two days of observations, meetings and presentations received by task team members in Pakistan.

Reflecting on the groups that will journey to Australia and New Zealand and also to the UK, where England and South Africa are playing, chairman of the task team and ICC President David Morgan said: "Our desire is to ensure that every stakeholder is content with arrangements and is comfortable with the ICC Champions Trophy taking place in Pakistan."

"To that end, it was agreed that representatives who have attended the latest briefings and demonstrations in Lahore and Karachi will visit stakeholders who have expressed reservations to let them know of the safety and security measures on the ground.