ICC likely to decide on Champions Trophy on Sunday

KARACHI (AFP) - The International Cricket Council Wednesday said it is likely to make a final decision on the ill-fated Champions Trophy in Pakistan on Sunday.
The eight-nation biennial event, scheduled for September, has run into serious doubts after players from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England raised security concerns.
"It is anticipated the ICC task team hook-up will take place on Friday 22 August and the ICC Board hook-up will be held on Sunday 24 August," said an ICC press release after a meeting at headquarters in Dubai.
The meeting was held a day after Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) urged its players not to tour the country following a wave of suicide bombings and ongoing political instability.
The ICC last month decided to keep the event in Pakistan despite security fears. It also appointed an eight-man task force to oversee security arrangements in the host country in an effort to allay fears about safety.
But Australian newspapers have since reported that the ACA had advised its players not to travel to Pakistan.
"The ACA has discussed the situation with its executive and our position is we can't recommend to our players they should tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy," chief executive Paul Marsh was quoted as saying by The Australian newspaper.
The Champions Trophy is scheduled in Pakistan from September 12-28 with defending champions Australia, England, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa and the West Indies taking part.
Earlier, Pakistan invited wavering foreign teams to inspect security arrangements for the Champions Trophy in a last-ditch bid to keep next month's tournament from being shifted or cancelled.
England, New Zealand and South Africa have also expressed concerns over security for the biennial competition following a wave of suicide bombings and political instability in nuclear-armed Pakistan.
"We will resist any attempt to shift the event and today's meeting will be crucial," Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi told AFP by telephone from Dubai.
"In order to save the event we have invited reluctant countries to come and see for themselves the practical implementation of the security plan."