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Karachi: Pakistan's former Test players have backed the Cricket Board's decision to reach an out-of-court settlement with the International Cricket Council over the 2011 World Cup dispute.
The out-of-court settlement came after conclusive talks between PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt and the ICC President, David Morgan in Dubai earlier this week.
The dispute arose after the ICC's Board decision in April to move the 2011 World Cup matches from Pakistan due to security problems after which Pakistan mounted a legal challenge against the ICC to get back hosting rights of its matches.
Pakistan is hopeful of getting paid around $19 million dollars as hosting fees and compensation by the ICC for dropping its legal challenge against the ICC.
Former Test captain Moin Khan felt the Board had taken the right decision as a legal battle would only have complicated matters and spoiled relations between Pakistan and other cricket playing nations.
"I think it is always wise to resolve issues through negotiations. I don't know who advised the PCB to file a legal challenge in the first place. But atleast now Pakistan will get some good money from the World Cup," Moin said.
Former Test captain Zaheer Abbas also said the PCB had taken a correct decision given the prevailing circumstances in the country.
"No team is willing to play in Pakistan at the moment because of security issues. So it would have been futile to even go for a full legal challenge against the ICC who have adequate justification for moving the matches out of Pakistan," he said.
He advised the Board to seek maximum concessions from the ICC and work towards a revival of bilateral cricket ties with India. "There is a general sympathy for us in international cricket and we should us that to our advantage," he added.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif felt the PCB should have not gone for a legal challenge in the first place.
"I always felt the ICC would give us plenty of concessions and compensation for shifting the World Cup matches. There is sympathy for Pakistan cricket everywhere."
But former Test opener and captain Aamer Sohail differed, saying the PCB should have gone ahead with its legal challenge against the ICC regardless of the consequences once it had opted to send a legal notice to the ICC.
"I think we have sent a wrong message to everyone. The most important thing right now for us to get teams to resume touring Pakistan as soon as possible and by agreeing to surrender our World Cup matches we will give out the wrong message," he felt.
