India safe to host World Cup: ICC chief

Dubai, Feb. 23 (ANI): ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has expressed optimism that all major cricket nations would work in accord to ensure that next year's World Cup does not get derailed in the wake of growing terror threat to the host country, India.

"The World Cup is the big piece of work that we have to deliver - and we intend to do so. The whole issue of security is dynamic, but we will assess it very carefully and implement whatever measures are necessary to ensure safety and security. I do not share the same concerns for India as Pakistan," The News quoted Lorgat, as saying.

Clouds of concern began looming large over next year's world cup after the leakage of a security report that advises cricketers to seriously consider withdrawing from the Indian Premier League due of credible terrorism threat by al-Qaeda.

Written by the England team's security advisor Reg Dickason, the report has been commissioned by players' associations in England, Australia and South Africa.

The report further antagonises relations between IPL commissioner Lalit Modi and FICA chief executive Tim May.

Any major disruption to the IPL would automatically put next year's World Cup in difficulty, with India co-hosting it with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as a major party.

However, Lorgat is confident that the ICC's willingness to work in partnership by setting up security officers in each member nation will maintain unanimity in the build-up to the World Cup.

"We have established a quality network of security managers at each of the full member boards and through that we can develop a far better co-ordinated approach to safety and security," he said. (ANI)