Cricket: Threat to 1996 World Cup

THE International Cricket Council is concerned about the implications for the 1996 World Cup following Pakistan's withdrawal from a six- team tournament in India starting on Sunday, its chairman, Clyde Walcott, said here yesterday, writes Tony Cozier from Barbados.

Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka won the right to host jointly the World Cup at the ICC meeting in London last July, but Walcott indicated the ICC would seek explanations from both relevant boards about the latest impasse.

'It is their competition but if we find that there are problems, we have to open discussions with them,' Walcott said. 'I am not suggesting that we can say to them they cannot have it, but we certainly have to discuss the situation with them from an early stage if it looks as if there could be complications.'

The anti-Muslim Shiv Sena party in India threatened to disrupt the international tournament if Pakistan participated. It had already forced the cancellation of a Pakistan tour last year when its activists dug up the pitch at Bombay's Wankhede stadium. The teams have not played each other since 1989 and it is virtually certain now that another scheduled Pakistan tour, including Tests, due to start next month, will also be aborted.