The International Cricket Council have confirmed Pakistan will host the Champions Trophy in September as planned despite fears over security.
The decision was taken during an ICC board teleconference on Thursday, during which the Pakistan Cricket Board offered assurances over the safety of competitors.
Concerns were raised over Pakistan's suitability to stage the tournament in the wake of a spate of bombings in the country, the most recent coming in June when a suicide bomber killed 15 people in Islamabad. An ICC task force will head to Pakistan prior to the tournament to evaluate security measures in the cities that will play host to matches - Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.
An ICC statement read: "The ICC board held a teleconference to discuss the location for this year's ICC Champions Trophy, at the end of which they reiterated their decision of 2006 to stage the event in Pakistan.
"In arriving at that position, the board considered various security reports and discussed at length the concerns of some members and stakeholders as well as the perceptions of Pakistan that may exist in some quarters.
"In recognising those concerns and perceptions, the board agreed they needed to be managed going forward, both before and during the tournament."
According to the statement, the ICC task force will "ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations of the ICC's independent security advisors", while also liaising embassies within Pakistan and other governments "on an ongoing basis to ensure effective communication and the management of any concerns that may exist".
The decision was taken during an ICC board teleconference on Thursday, during which the Pakistan Cricket Board offered assurances over the safety of competitors.
Concerns were raised over Pakistan's suitability to stage the tournament in the wake of a spate of bombings in the country, the most recent coming in June when a suicide bomber killed 15 people in Islamabad. An ICC task force will head to Pakistan prior to the tournament to evaluate security measures in the cities that will play host to matches - Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.
An ICC statement read: "The ICC board held a teleconference to discuss the location for this year's ICC Champions Trophy, at the end of which they reiterated their decision of 2006 to stage the event in Pakistan.
"In arriving at that position, the board considered various security reports and discussed at length the concerns of some members and stakeholders as well as the perceptions of Pakistan that may exist in some quarters.
"In recognising those concerns and perceptions, the board agreed they needed to be managed going forward, both before and during the tournament."
According to the statement, the ICC task force will "ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations of the ICC's independent security advisors", while also liaising embassies within Pakistan and other governments "on an ongoing basis to ensure effective communication and the management of any concerns that may exist".
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