South Africa boycott Champions Trophy in Pakistan 22 Aug, 2008 © AFP
 South Africa cricket captain Graeme Smith South Africa announced Friday it will not send a team to the Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan next month. They are the first country officially to boycott the tournament, which has been mired in controversy over security concerns. The decision follows a meeting Friday involving Cricket South Africa, International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat and ICC security officials. "After extensive discussions and a frank exchange of views, the board resolved not to send our team at this time to Pakistan to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy," Cricket SA president Norman Arendse said in a statement. "We respect the right of the Pakistan Cricket Board to stage the tournament and we would urge the ICC to reschedule the tournament as soon as possible," added Arendse. South African players, through the South Africa Cricketers Association, again expressed "major concerns" about playing in Pakistan. A bomb blast Thursday killed about 40 people in Islamabad, originally a Champions Trophy host city. Cricketers from England, New Zealand and Australia have expressed concerns over security and reluctance to play in Pakistan. The Champions Trophy is the second biggest one-day tournament on the cricket calendar after the quadrennial World Cup. | 
