LAHORE, Dec 23: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt on Tuesday disclosed that the ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat had denied making the statement concerning the security situation in Pakistan with reference to the impending tour of Sri Lanka and said he was grossly misquoted in the media.

“Mr Lorgat rang me up on Tuesday and said that I must be upset with him over what was being quoted in the media as his statement on security concerns but it was all quoted out of context,” Ijaz told Dawn while elaborating on his conversation with Lorgat on Tuesday.

“In reply I showed my concerns to Mr Lorgat over the statement and reminded him that I was the first to inform the ICC while inviting Sri Lanka to Pakistan after India pulled out of the scheduled tour,” Ijaz said.

Ijaz said Lorgat was of the view that when speaking of security, he was talking about the arrangement for the ICC Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan in September next year. “We have agreed to contradict the news report and I am giving this statement on Lorgat’s advice.”

When asked why Lorgat was not contradicting the news himself, Ijaz said that he was reluctant to do so because any further statements from him may spark further controversy.

Ijaz also said that Lorgat was of the view that the media might have tried to make an issue out of his Monday’s statement under the prevailing tense political situation between India and Pakistan.

He added that Lorgat had assured him of all kinds of support from the ICC that was required to bring cricket back to Pakistan. Ijaz disclosed that when he had informed Lorgat earlier this month about inviting Sri Lanka after India’s refusal to tour, he was advised to include at least two Test matches in the series but the two cricket boards eventually agreed on three.

To another question, Ijaz said that the ICC would be sending the umpires and referee to conduct the series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which is likely to begin from Jan 19. “The PCB has sent an itinerary to Sri Lanka Cricket and are awaiting their approval,” he added.

About the recent development under which Sri Lanka Cricket President Arjuna Ranatunga’s body was dissolved on Tuesday, Ijaz said that was their internal matter and the PCB hopes that the new management would fulfil their international commitments.

Former Test captain Ranatunga was a vocal supporter of Pakistan and himself offered to send his team after India’s last-minute pull-out from a scheduled series.