DUBAI, July 20: Cricketers were warned on Sunday that their security cannot be guaranteed in Pakistan during September’s Champions Trophy with the ICC delaying a final decision on the tournament venue until later this week.

The International Cricket Council said fears were raised about potential security threats during a briefing for the eight participating countries, player representatives and broadcasters.

“If it was up to player representatives, they would prefer not to be in Pakistan because of the environmental or external risks,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. “They have got concerns because no guarantees, as far as safety and security are concerned, can be given by the PCB [Pakistan Cricket Board], the ICC or security consultants.

“We can do everything in our power to secure and safeguard officials, but we can never issue guarantees.”

Lorgat said he knew of no threats to the year’s biggest one-day tournament, featuring the top eight Test nations, is due to be held in Pakistan from Sept 11 to 28 but Australia, England and New Zealand have raised fears about security.

However, he acknowledged that overcoming the perception of danger will be difficult before the ICC executive board delivers a definite decision within the next 72 hours on whether to move the One-day International tournament to alternate hosts Sri Lanka.

Lorgat said Sunday’s briefing by the ICC’s security consultants stressed “great satisfaction” about the measures implemented by Pakistan at the recently completed Asia Cup.

“But there are still concerns stemming out of the environmental and external factors — those issues largely beyond our control,” Lorgat said. “Those external factors create the perception around the security and it is really difficult to deal with those perceptions ... but there is no specific threat to any sport, particularly cricket.”

The PCB told the meeting that it is “very confident” of delivering a safe tournament, according to Lorgat. Its chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said there will be no further comment until after the board meeting.

Earlier, the ICC issued the following press release: “A meeting was held to brief the security arrangements made by Pakistan in the Asia Cup in June-July and now the concerns will be taken at the ICC Board meeting in due course to arrive a definitive decision on the location of this year’s Champions Trophy.

“Until or unless the board decided otherwise the tournament will be processed in Pakistan,” it said.

Despite the trouble-free hosting of the Asia Cup, a suicide bomb blast in the capital Islamabad earlier this month killed 19 people and a series of small bombings rocked the port city of Karachi.

Rawalpindi — which adjoins Islamabad — Lahore and Karachi are the scheduled venues for the tournament.

Team representatives on Sunday heard from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on its security plans in the lead-up to, and during, the Trophy, the ICC statement said.

“While there was recognition the PCB had gone to great lengths to provide a high-level security during the Asia Cup and would also do so again during the Champions Trophy, concerns were expressed about the potential threats beyond the PCB’s control,” the ICC said.

Naghmi, however, was adamant that Pakistan should host the event.

“Pakistan’s case is strong and we see no point in moving or not holding the Trophy in our country after full assurances on security,” the PCB chief operating officer said.

With Sri Lanka, the designated alternative venue for the tournament, also facing renewed violence between Tamil Tiger rebels and government troops, South Africa and England have been mooted as potential replacements for the event.

Defending champions Australia postponed a tour of Pakistan in March after several bomb attacks in the wake of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in December, and several Australian and New Zealand players have already indicated they may pull out of the tournament rather than play in Pakistan.

The Australian, British and New Zealand governments advise citizens against visiting Pakistan.—Agencies