KARACHI, July 29: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Dr Nasim Ashraf on Tuesday hailed as “positive” a stance by the players’ representative Tim May to tour the host country with an open mind to assess security for September’s ICC Champions Trophy.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) last week decided at a teleconference to keep the biennial event in Pakistan despite vociferous opposition by non-Asian countries who showed security concerns in the troubled country.

The tournament is slated to be held from Sept 11 to 28 with Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi allocated five matches each.

The ICC while giving the go ahead to Pakistan also appointed an eight-member taskforce to ensure the country implements the security plan it presented before the member countries.

May, the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) would be a part of the task commission.

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Dr Nasim Ashraf said he was pleased to hear a positive and professional approach by May.

“We welcome May’s statement and hope that he will tour us with an open mind. It shows May’s professionalism and right approach,” he told Dawn.

May, himself a former Australian Test off-spinner, while backing concerns by the players’ associations from Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa, said he would tour Pakistan to personally assess the security.

“I will go to Pakistan with an open mind. We would have made significant progress if the players are comfortable with what we see in Pakistan. All the stakeholders need to be satisfied, and that’s what matters,” May was quoted in the Indian media on Monday.

The PCB chief hoped perceptions will change once the task force with May included in it visited Pakistan.

“I am confident that perceptions will change once the task force visits Pakistan and there will be a positive feedback on the security of Pakistan,” said Dr Nasim.

“Pakistan is a safe country and we are capable of hosting the event in a befitting and peaceful manner.”

The PCB successfully staged the Asia Cup in June-July with Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates participating along with the hosts in the tournament.

The ICC task force, with its president David Morgan leading the delegation, is likely to visit Pakistan early next month.