ABBOTTABAD, July 26: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be played from September 2009 while six teams will be participating in the Twenty20 League Championship.

This was announced by Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Dr Nasim Ashraf while addressing media here at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Elaborating on the PSL plans, the PCB chief said the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be one of the important partners in the League. “One of the PSL teams will be representing the UAE and the league will be held every year in the month of September.”

Dispelling various rumours regarding the ICC champions Trophy boycott from ‘white’ nations, Dr Ashraf said: “No country is pulling out of the Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held from Sept 11 to 28, and there are no security threats to the event.”

According to media reports, four cricket-playing nations New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and England have raised security concerns about the mega event being held in Pakistan.

When asked about the individual players threatening to pull out from the Trophy, he said: “If you look at the three security reports presented by the Oliver Group, the Nicholas-Steyn Security Associates, and another independent security group, there are no security threats to cricket events in Pakistan.”

He emphasised that once the objecting players arrived to play the ICC Champions Trophy here, they will see for themselves that their assumptions regarding security threats were totally baseless.

The PCB chief added that renowned ICC officials like Mike Procter, Simon Taufel, and Alan Hurst were also here in Pakistan for the Asia Cup and they submitted a very positive report about the security arrangements made for the continental event.

About the serious concerns shown by the South Africans in particular, Dr Ashraf said: “It was on the request of South Africa specially that a task force has been put together to review and implement the security arrangements for the Champions Trophy.

“The ICC has kept all the aspects in view before making the final decision in our favour and they are well aware of Pakistan’s capabilities of holding an event of this magnitude,” he stated.

Speaking about the team’s announcement for the upcoming Twenty20 tournament in Canada involving the West Indies, Bangladesh, Canada and Pakistan, the PCB chief said: “The final team will be announced on Aug 10 and with some changes, the same team will be participating in the ICC Champions Trophy.”

Commenting on the doping case of Mohammad Asif, he said the pacer had submitted a written report to the enquiry commission and it will soon launch a probe into the matter.”

He reiterated that a zero-tolerance policy will be adhered to by the board for discipline and doping offences.

The chairman also appreciated the fitness of the boys, saying they had improved a lot physically which was a good sign.

“I was informed by Geoff Lawson that the boys are 70 percent fitter than they were at the pervious camp held last year,” he said.

Agencies add: England’s participation in the Champions Trophy will hinge on a review of Pakistan’s security plan for the tournament, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The ICC decision to allow the tournament to go ahead despite security fears has forced the ECB to consider withdrawing from the event.

Senior players in the England squad will be consulted and shown all three security reports carried out in Pakistan over the past few months ahead of an ECB meeting on Aug 4.

But it is the ICC’s specialist task team, who will oversee Pakistan security plans in the next three weeks, that could decide whether England’s stars will make the trip.

“We will want to have a very robust review of that [security] plan,” ECB Chief Executive David Collier said.

“We’re in very close touch, not only with the Professional Cricketers Association, but directly with all the players. It’s very important that we are in very, very close contact over this period and clearly other boards around the world are in the same position.

“The safety of the players is of absolutely paramount importance and we just won’t compromise on that.”

England batsman Kevin Pietersen admitted he would be loath to take part if the security risk is still high.

“For sure, I have reservations about going. Everybody has reservations about Pakistan. I have spoken to players from South Africa and West Indies and we all feel the same way,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia is certain to heed security advice and boycott the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and face anger of cricketing nations.

Australia after announcing their withdrawal will be at loggerheads with Asian nations - India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka - who voted against moving event despite safety fears in Pakistan. But path has been cleared for Australian boycott with confirmation that any team refusing to tour Pakistan will not be penalised, Daily Telegraph reported.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said no player opting to pull out would be penalised, nor would their respective boards, while CA Chief Executive James Sutherland said usual fines for pulling out of a series would not apply.

For Australia, there is also safety in numbers, with England and New Zealand set to refuse to send their teams to the event. A CA source said there was no doubt Australia would now boycott the tournament.

Australian Cricketers Association chief executive Paul Marsh said ACA continues to have serious concerns with players touring Pakistan.

“Based on independent information and advice received, we maintain risks are simply too great for the ACA to recommend our players tour Pakistan at this time. We would expect CA to adopt same position.”