World Cup decision on June 19 - Ijaz Butt

A final decision regarding Pakistan's rights to host the 2011 World Cup will be taken on June 19, the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has said. A preliminary conference aimed at reaching an out-of-court settlement to the dispute over shifting matches out of Pakistan will be held in London on June 15.

"Now Sharad Pawar [ICC vice-president] will take part in the June 15 meeting through tele-conferencing," Butt was quoted as saying in the Dawn. "However, on June 19 a three-member committee - comprising ICC President David Morgan, me and Pawar - will take a final decision in England.

"Presently, I cannot reveal to the media PCB's stance for the forthcoming meetings as our lawyer has advised us to keep the whole matter confidential," he said.

Pakistan were stripped of their rights to host the 2011 World Cup in the aftermath of the Lahore attacks in March, when gunmen fired at the Sri Lankan team's bus. The World Cup secretariat, the organising body for the tournament, was subsequently moved from Lahore to Mumbai after which the PCB issued a legal notice to the ICC.