ICC postpone Champions Trophy

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has postponed next month’s Champions Trophy until October 2009.



The decision was taken during a teleconference involving the ICC’s executive board, which also agreed that Pakistan would retain the right to host the tournament.



The eight-team tournament was scheduled to take place in Pakistan from September 12 to 28, but South Africa had already pulled out because of security worries.



England, Australia and New Zealand had also expressed doubts about playing in Pakistan at the present time.



West Indies did not state its position.



Pakistan is currently fighting Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants in the north-western tribal regions bordering Afghanistan and has suffered a string of deadly suicide bomb attacks in the last year, which have killed more than 1,000 people.



Last week, there were two suicide bombings in the towns of Wah and Dera Ismail Khan, which left 95 people dead and dozens injured.