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Pakistan’s Australian coach Geoff Lawson is flying to his homeland and New Zealand to convince players that it is safe to play in next month’s Champions Trophy, cricket’s governing body said today.
Players from Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand have all expressed doubts about playing the September tournament in Pakistan because of a wave of Islamist militant violence in the country.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) refused to move the event but last month set up a special taskforce to ensure security.
It said this week that the garrison city of Rawalpindi would be dropped as a venue.
“To step up our efforts we have asked Lawson to join us in Australia and New Zealand when we present to stakeholders, including player groups, the result of the taskforce visit,” an ICC spokesman said on Tuesday.
Former Australia fast bowler Lawson left early on Tuesday, Pakistani cricket sources said.
“As a former Australia Test player, a coach and someone who lives in Pakistan, he is in a unique position to give his perspective to those stakeholders,” the spokesman said.
Fresh security fears were raised today when a roadside bomb blew up a Pakistan Air Force vehicle in the northwestern city of Peshawar, killing 13 people, while fighting was also underway with militants on the Afghan border.
But Tim May, a former Australian off-spinner who is now the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) and a member of the taskforce, said he hoped the ICC would ease players’ fears.
“I don’t want to comment on what is good and what is not good, but I hope the ICC addresses the players’ concerns adequately and not only convinces me but also players who have shown concerns over playing in Pakistan,” May told AFP.
The taskforce held meetings with Pakistan’s interior ministry in Islamabad and then witnessed security drills in Lahore — both on Monday — before visiting Karachi’s National Stadium on Tuesday.
The group, led by ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, announced on Monday that the event would start from September 12, a day later than planned, to avoid the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
They also said the Trophy would be held only at two venues — Karachi and Lahore — and dropped Rawalpindi as a venue since the city did not host any matches in the recent Asia Cup and security was not assessed there.
“I have come to Pakistan with an open mind and a great deal of thought had been put on the issues relating to security so I will get back and brief the players about the tour,” said May.
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