Pakistan slams 'hasty' South Africa cricket boycott

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

KARACHI (AFP) — Hosts Pakistan criticised South Africa's "hasty" decision to skip next month's Champions Trophy and said it would badly hurt the eight-nation event, officials said Friday.

The September 12-28 tournament now looks likely to be relocated or postponed over security fears when the International Cricket Council (ICC) meets on the matter on Sunday.

"We are deeply disappointed and when a decision was to be made on Sunday we think South Africa made a hasty choice," Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi told AFP.

Naghmi was in Dubai to make a last ditch effort to save the tournament after players' associations from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England urged their cricketers not to tour the troubled country.

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