Karachi: Pakistani youth staged protests in the southern city of Karachi on Saturday, a day after the International Cricket Council decided to shift the 2011 World Cup matches from the country. Pakistan cricket officials and fans expressed shock and criticised the ICC for acting in haste. The protesters said that being stripped of the World Cup matches was a setback for Pakistan cricket.

     On Friday, in a major setback to Pakistan Cricket Board, the ICC decided at an important ICC meet held in Dubai not to hold any match of the 2011 World Cup in Pakistan. It was decided that no World Cup match could be held in Pakistan, following a uncertain political and security situation prevailing in that country. The decision is anticipated to cost Pakistan Cricket Board an approximate loss of 800,000 to 100,000 dollars. Pakistan was scheduled to host 14 matches and the semi-final of the World Cup, which was to be co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as per previous arrangements. Doubts emerged over the prospects of Pakistan hosting the World Cup matches after the terror attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore last month, following which the ICC also indicated it would be difficult to convince teams to play in the country. According to Friday's media reports from Karachi, the Pakistan Cricket Board expected India and two other co-hosts of the 2011 World Cup to support their bid to stop relocation of the matches from the strife-torn country. Although the World Cup central secretariat is in Lahore and the ICC recently approved appointment of a Pakistani Managing Director there but it is yet to be fully operational following the prevailing troublesome environment and uncertainty.
- Apr 19, 2009