Butt wants the Pakistan government to assure countries that they will be safe

Pakistan could host an international team within nine months, according to the country's cricket chief.

The sport was rocked last week after seven people were killed and seven players were injured when the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked by gunmen.

"I'd expect tours to start again as soon as possible. I'd give it six to nine months," Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ijaz Butt told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I definitely think that we will stage part of the World Cup in 2011."

Butt said the Pakistan government were responsible for giving assurances to any team considering touring that they would be safe.

606: DEBATE When should cricket return to Pakistan?

"I would want us to get security to a level that would be a guarantee from my government that no such incident like this could happen again, or I will not invite anybody," he added.

"Once I have this assurance I may then invite people to come here. But this can happen anywhere. I cannot give that guarantee, but my government can. If they cannot then we will not have cricket in Pakistan at all."

International Cricket Council chief Haroon Lorgat backed Pakistan to host international games again, but did not specify when that would happen.

"We certainly don't want Pakistan to lose cricket," he said.

I am mindful of the experience they have gone through and it is a difficult time for them ICC chief executive Hargoon Lorgat on the Lahore match offcials

"I think cricket must go on. We must find the way and the means of doing that. I know they're suggesting, right now, to play Australia at neutral venues in the upcoming one-day series and I've said it before that I would rather they be playing cricket than not at all."

Meanwhile, Lorgat said he will give ICC match officials Chris Broad, Simon Taufel and Steve Davis time to be "more rational" in their verdict of the security provided for the team and officials in Lahore.

All three, who were travelling in a van alongside the team bus, criticised what they perceived to be inadequate protection.

Broad was "extremely angry", claiming that the party were "were promised high-level security and in our hour of need that security vanished".

Butt added: "I am mindful of the experience they have gone through and it is a difficult time for them.

"I guess if you or I had gone through something we might have reacted in a similar fashion and we must just understand the context and we must just allow them to settle down and be more rational in their assessment of what has transpired after a few days."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version