"PCB withdrawing legal notice"

ICC has threatened PCB to terminate the host agreement if the legal notice over the 2011 WC matches is not withdrawn.

A PCB governing council member today said that Pakistan has decided to withdraw the legal notice served on the ICC after the world body chief David Morgan issued a serious threat.

"Pakistan was told if it decides to pursue legal action then the ICC would terminate its host agreement and it would not be paid a single penny from the tournament," a member, who attended a governing council meeting last week at which PCB chief Ejaz Butt gave a briefing on the talks with the ICC, said.

"It has been decided to withdraw the legal notice served on the ICC over the decision of stripping Pakistan of 14 matches of the 2011 World Cup," the source said.

He said Butt had informed the governing council members that the ICC's stance left Pakistan with no option but to go for an out of court settlement which at least guaranteed that Pakistan cricket would benefit financially despite losing the right to host its World Cup matches at home.

"Butt said if ICC terminates the host agreement we could lose around USD 18 to 20 million which Pakistan cricket cannot afford to lose at this stage," he added.

The member said the governing council had given approval for seeking an out of court settlement with the ICC because Butt informed them that the PCB's legal advisor Mark Gay had also advised them not to pursue the matter in a court of law anymore.