Pakistan unlikely to host Champions trophy

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is putting up a brave front, claiming that they are capable of hosting the Champions Trophy, but, the inside story is contradictory as there is a ''sinking feeling'' of losing the battle among its officials and they are ''expecting the worst'' in the next few days, sources said.

With the uncertainty looming over the participation of defending champion Australia and New Zealand in next month's Champions Trophy, the information from well-informed sources in the Board says the eight nation tournament might be relocated or postponed.

''Some teams have also raised questions about the timing of the competition in Pakistan when Muslims the world over fast in the holy month of Ramazan,'' one source said.

''The truth is that even within the PCB there is a sinking feeling of a losing battle and they are expecting the worst in the next few days,'' said the source.

The same feeling is prevailing in the International Cricket Council (ICC) camp office here although no one is willing to speak on record.

''If the ICC manages to convince the teams that Champions Trophy should be held in Pakistan then it would be a major achievement but at the moment most of the teams are in the comfortable position of defending themselves by pointing out that the travel advisories to them by their foreign office does not encourage travelling to Pakistan,'' the source said.

UNI