PCB pins hope on ICC committee to get WC hosting rights

Karachi:

Snubbed by ICC and other host countries of the 2011 World Cup, Pakistan Cricket Board is now trying to restore the hosting rights of the matches through the governing body's dispute resolutions committee.

PCB chairman, Ejaz Butt said that Pakistan would first try to get the matter resolved by the ICC disputes resolution committee.

"And as a second option we also want our plea to be heard by a tribunal of the special court for sports arbitration," he said.

Butt expects the committee to convene a meeting soon but said as of now the International Cricket Council had not given any final date for the hearing.

The ICC last week rejected Pakistan's proposal to host its share of 2011 World Cup matches at neutral venues after the other host countries - India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - expressed their reluctance at special meetings of the World Cup in London this month.

The Pakistan board has said that after the refusal of the ICC and other host countries it has no option but to pursue its legal options to get back hosting rights of its matches.

The ICC and other host countries have told Pakistan it won't get back its hosting rights but it would be paid the full hosting fees and would also remain a member of the World Cup organising committee.

The legal advisors of the PCB had made it clear they couldn't get a stay order against holding of the World Cup but Butt feels they have a strong case in hand.

"But they (legal advisors) are confident that our case is strong and the disputes resolution committee or the sports arbitration council should uphold our plea," he said. He said Mark Gay the British lawyer in London would represent the PCB in both the tribunals when dates for hearings are announced.