The deadly terror attack at the Manchester Arena in England has raised security concerns ahead of the Champions Trophy which is set to host in the UK next month.
Keeping the sensitive issue in the mind, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday has assured that the safety and security measures of all the teams participating in the Champions Trophy will be kept to the highest level.
The matter will be discussed in an urgent meeting that has been called by the ICC later in the day.
“The ICC will hold a meeting later in the day to address the issue in the wake of the terror attack in Manchester,” a top ICC official told India Today.
“The ICC is concerned with what has happened in Manchester and will have a conference call later in the day with stakeholders joining from various places,” the ICC source said.
The blast, executed by a suicide bomber, occurred on Monday night just moments after the pop concert featuring Ariana Grande finished. The incident has left 22 people dead and about 50 injured until now.
The target of the atrocity is being assumed to be teenagers who flocked the arena to witness their favourite pop star perform live. The horror has left the Manchester City Centre quiet since this morning, various news reports have claimed.
The investigators have declared that the attack was the deadliest on British soil since the 2005 Metro attack on July 7, which killed 52 people after terrorists carried out a series of coordinated suicide bomb attacks in central London targeting civilians using the public transport system during the rush hour.
It is also yet to be confirmed whether the attacker was a lone operative or part of any organisation.
Eight teams – Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka – are set to participate in the Champions Trophy. The mega event is an 18-day affair which will commence from first of June 1st.
The matches will be held in London, Birmingham, and Cardiff. The security concerns seem valid, as the tournament expects to draw a huge crowd at the venues.
The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has also summoned its top official for a meeting to work out Team India’s entire schedule in the Champions Trophy.
India, the defending champions, will start their campaign in the high-octane clash against arch rival Pakistan at Edgbaston Cricket ground, Birmingham. The game is expected to attract a full crowd capacity of 25,000 people.