PTI
 
Karachi, May 6: After failing to stop the International Cricket Council from shifting the 2011 World Cup matches out of the country, the Pakistan Cricket Board has now promised more straight-forward approach to revive the issue at the annual ICC meeting in June.

The media reports said that the PCB has decided to adopt a tougher approach as Pakistan still remains upset that the World Cup matches were moved without their consent although ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat had claimed it a unanimous.

"The Chairman will also take up the issue of Pakistan's hosting rights and fees at the coming meeting," the report said.

Interestingly the Pakistan's cricket community has welcomed the strong statement of former ICC President Ehsan Mani in which he directly blamed India for having the World Cup matches moved out of Pakistan.

"At least he had the guts to say what many of us feel is true that India is behind this World Cup matches shift. Mani has also raised some valid points and put the ICC on the backfoot. I wonder why the PCB Chairman couldn't do this at the last meeting," a former official of the board said.

Mani who was at the helm of the ICC between 2003 and 2006 also claimed that the moving of the World Cup matches was not on the agenda of the ICC board meeting held last month and the members had decided to discuss security situation in the host countries in August.

However, Lorgat issued a rebuttal to Mani's statement claiming the matter was on the last month meeting's agenda.

There is a growing feeling in Pakistan cricket circle that PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt, 72, should be replaced as he has failed completely to defend Pakistan's right to host the World Cup matches.

"The truth is if there is no change made soon things will get worse. At the ICC meeting Butt just sat silently unable to offer any defence against shifting the World Cup matches from Pakistan. As he was simply not prepared and didn't expect India and the other Asian countries to desert Pakistan. He is quick to lose his temper and make personal attacks but his ability to deal with things at the ICC level are limited," a PCB source said.

He said this was one of the reasons why Butt and other board officials had avoided saying much on the ICC's decision on the quadrennial event.