CHITTAGONG, Oct 21: A top Bangladesh cricket official on Tuesday rejected accusations from Pakistan that it failed to offer its support in the row over the rescheduled Champions Trophy.

Bangladesh Cricket Board cricket operations chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain said his country had always backed Pakistan’s hosting of the tournament, which was postponed for a year until next September-October over security fears.

“We have always supported Pakistan on the Champions Trophy,” Ashraf said. “There were two teleconferences to decide the fate of the Trophy in July and August and we supported Pakistan despite we being not among the competing teams.”

Ashraf, who attended the ICC meeting in Dubai where the new dates were announced, was responding to comments from the new Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt.

“It was a big surprise to me when Sri Lanka and Bangladesh didn’t speak a word when the issue was discussed during the meeting,” Ijaz said on Monday. “I was not expecting this from these two countries.”

There was no immediate response from Sri Lankan officials.

Ashraf said Bangladesh twice visited Pakistan when other teams refused to play there over security fears.

“Australia refused to send their team to Pakistan over security fears in March this year but we convinced our support staff which is from Australia and South Africa to tour Pakistan and then sent the team for Asia Cup in June and July,” said Ashraf.—AFP