KARACHI, Dec 2: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Chief operating Officer Saleem Altaf has refuted suggestions that the 2011 World Cup could be switched away from the subcontinent following the Mumbai terror attacks.

Reports suggested that the International Cricket Council (ICC) were also preparing a standby venue for the 2011 World Cup, but the PCB has now come out to dismiss those claims.

“The reports are only speculative and the World Cup will remain in the subcontinent,” Saleem stressed. “The ICC has given us a deadline to complete certain tasks. As far as the joint World Cup Organising Committee is concerned we are on schedule with those tasks.

“We have not received any intimation from the ICC regarding a change of venue and as far as we are concerned there is no change in the venue,” added Saleem.

He further said that he would raise the issue in the ICC meeting next week in Cape Town, South Africa.

The game’s most prestigious one-day tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted by Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, but security concerns are thought to have been raised by Cricket Australia (CA) following the unrest in the region.

Earlier this year, the Australians pulled out of a tour to Pakistan over safety concerns, while the ICC Champions Trophy — due to be held in Pakistan next September — has been postponed for 13 months with the ICC ready to move the tournament should security remain an issue.—Agencies