Miandad slams 'hasty' ICC decision

Javed Miandad, the PCB's director general, has said he was 'shocked' by the ICC's 'hasty' decision to move the 2011 World Cup out of Pakistan.

"If safety was their concern then the 2011 World Cup should have been given to Australia and New Zealand and the Asian countries could have hosted the 2015 World Cup," he told AFP. His comments came a day after the Pakistan board confirmed that it had lodged an official protest at the ICC's decision.

Pakistan had been stripped of hosting rights for the World Cup, after an ICC meeting last week, because of the "uncertain security situation" in the country. The ICC had also said that Pakistan was unlikely to resume hosting any cricket at all until 2011.

Miandad said the decision reeked of 'double standards'. "We did a wonderful job by staging a safe Test in Karachi but unfortunately things went wrong in Lahore," he said. "The same thing happened in Mumbai, India, but England did not have problems in touring. The cricket world has isolated Pakistan and it's not in the best interest of the game."

Miandad also spoke of a conspiracy to deprive Pakistan of international cricket. "There are some groups with a monopoly and they are playing the game. Today it is Pakistan, tomorrow it could be some other country. I am sad that the Asian countries did not back Pakistan and think that they can also face the same situation one day."

Pakistan are currently playing their 'home' series of limited-overs matches against Australia in the UAE. New Zealand, who were to tour Pakistan later this month, have stated their reluctance to visit the country, and are in discussions to move the series to a different location.