August 13, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 10, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 12: Pakistan’s massive security build-up for next month’s Champions Trophy notwithstanding, the ICC has admitted that it would not be easy to convince jittery players to come to the troubled nation for the eight-nation event.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat believes that it would be a challenge to convey the message to the players and full task team of the ICC executive board that the security arrangements being made for the Champions Trophy are sufficient for the event.

Lorgat and six other members of the ICC task force made back-to-back visited Lahore on Monday and Karachi on Tuesday and were impressed by the security arrangements being made for the tournament, starting on Sept 12.

“I am quite impressed by the level and the extent of security that has been in place. I think it is still another matter for us to be able to convey it to the players,” Lorgat said at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

“That would be a challenge because we have personally come to do this visit. And it will be upon us to convey that message and raise the confidence of the players that from what we have seen and experienced is the security measures that are in place should be sufficient to have an event that will be safe and secure,” he added.

Lorgat and his team that included chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) Tim May and ICC cricket operations head Dave Richardson as well as ICC Media Manager Brian Murgatroyd.

Lorgat said that he and his task team would try to eliminate doubts related to security in Pakistan by convincing reluctant boards and players to tour the country.—Agencies