Karachi, Apr. 16 : Pakistan is hoping that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will adopt a sympathetic stance towards it while taking a final decision on its status of a co-host of the 2011 World Cup during the upcoming ICC Executive Board meetings.

"Security has emerged as one of the most pressing issues following the Lahore incident. The ICC wants to take concrete steps about it. We are confident that it would take a sympathetic view as far as Pakistan is concerned," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Saleem Altaf said.

Following the recent upsurge in terror activities in Pakistan and especially after the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, speculations are ripe that the ICC may drop Pakistan as a host for the 2011 World Cup.

"It''s too early for any such decision. As World Cup co-hosts, we are confident that our share of the matches will be played here," The News quoted Altaf, as saying.

Referring to the 1996 World Cup incident when West Indies refused to play in Sri Lanka citing security reasons and the 2003 incident when several teams declined to travel to Zimbabwe, he said : ""There is no precedent in the past that you can switch the World Cup on the security issue alone."

Experts have already warned that the ICC may shift the mega event from the sub-continent.

Australia and New Zealand are the two alternative candidates for hosting the event in case the ICC decides to move it from South Asia. Both the countries are also pushing to host the 2015 World Cup.

Australia and New Zealand's aspiration to host the 2011 event may not be that easily fulfilled as it seems, because both countries would require at least seven out of ten votes to get hosting rights, and this is only possible when one of the four South Asian country sides with them along with West Indies, Zimbabwe, South Africa and England. (ANI)