ICC postpones Champions Trophy

DUBAI (AFP) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) Sunday postponed until next year September's Champions Trophy in Pakistan over security fears.

The move came two days after South Africa refused to send their team, while players' associations from Australia, New Zealand and England urged their players not to travel to the troubled country over serious security concerns.

The decision to postpone the event was taken after a tele-conference of the ICC Executive Board in Dubai on Sunday. The trophy will now be staged in October 2009, it said.

"The ICC Board agreed unanimously to postpone the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in Pakistan next month, until October 2009," the ICC said in a statement.

The Board would meet again next month to discuss the details of the postponement, it said adding that Pakistan kept the hosting rights.

"Pakistan will retain the right to host the tournament but it was agreed that if other members continued to express reservations over issues of safety and security then the ICC Board would have the right to decide about the tournament's location," the statement said.

ICC President David Morgan said the decision was made only after teams showed reservations.