Pakistan legally challenges ICC on World Cup move

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LAHORE: Pakistan has registered a case at the International Court of Arbitration for Sport against the International Cricket Council (ICC) for moving Pakistan’s World Cup matches.

This has been told by chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt while addressing at a press conference here on Saturday.

He said that Pakistan has served legal notice to the ICC in this regard and the PCB wants to obtain stay order against the ICC decision.

Pakistan has challenged the ICC's decision to move the World Cup and "in this regard a notice has been sent through our lawyer Mark Gay to the ICC president David Morgan," Butt told reporters.

"The PCB believes that the manner in which the decision was taken, with no security assessment of Pakistan or any other host country and without the issue being on the agenda of the meeting, it was legally flawed," the PCB chairman said.

The ICC last month stripped Pakistan of 14 World Cup matches, including a semi-final, citing the "uncertain security situation" in the country.

Co-hosts India will now host 29 matches inclusive of a semi-final and the final, while Sri Lanka will host 12 matches with one-semi-final and Bangladesh eighth matches and the opening ceremony.

"There was no prior notice that the Cup matches will be moved and more could have been done in an indiscriminate manner before the decision was taken," said Butt.

"We believe that more could and should have been done to review the actual situation to deal with the matter on a non-discriminatory basis."

Butt said the issue had been referred to the president of the ICC's dispute resolution committee.

"He can either refer the matter to the dispute resolution committee which is made up of ICC Officials or to independent arbitration before the Court of Arbitration for Sport," Butt said.

"The PCB prefer impartial arbitration, in the interest of justice, equity and fair play. The PCB will push for this matter to be expedited so the PCB's status can be restored as soon as possible."

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