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Pakistan had reasons for a double celebration on Sunday when not only did they win a joint bid with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to host the 2011 World Cup but they were also awarded the 2008 Champions Trophy by the International Cricket Council (ICC) at its board meeting in Dubai.

“Obviously it is a great honour to get the rights to host both these events but the Champions Trophy is very important for us as it is being held in our country for the first time and we will have to manage things independently,” a senior board official said.

Pakistan fought off bids from five other countries to get the Champions Trophy which will be a streamlined edition restricted to just eight teams and is planned towards the end of September 2008.

According to PCB officials, Pakistan had also been given a specific honour on Sunday in Dubai when its Chairman Shaharyar Khan was chosen by the four Asian countries to speak on behalf of them at the press conference.

“A lot of credit goes to Shaharyar Khan for bringing both these tournaments to Asia because he worked very hard behind the scenes and closely monitored the preparation of the compliance document,” one official stated.

Interestingly, both tournaments are scheduled at a time when going by what is being propagated, the board set-up would have changed from the present one. “It does not matter whether we are there or not but it is a prestigious thing for Pakistan to get both these major events particularly given the problems we have faced over touring teams raising questions over the security situation in our country,” one official stated.

Shaharyar’s term expires in December this year but all indications are he would be asked to continue till the World Cup in 2007. Shaharyar said in Dubai that Pakistan was delighted to have been awarded the event. “The ICC Champions Trophy 2008 will be one of the biggest global sporting events ever held in Pakistan.

“The decision of the ICC Board to award this event to Pakistan is a tremendous show of support in the PCB, in Pakistan cricket and in our nation. “We are very honoured to have been given the responsibility of hosting this important event and look forward to welcoming the top cricket nations to our country.”

The PCB official disclosed that the joint Asian bid had been accepted with ease because of the financial guarantees envisaged in it for the ICC and member nations something that could not be matched by the other contenders, Australia and New Zealand who have been awarded the 2015 World Cup.

Source: The News

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