The PCB threatened to restart their legal fight over the 2011 WC hosting issue against the ICC following failure of talks.

Pakistan Cricket Board issued a statement that its chairman Ejaz Butt met representatives of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in London to sort out the issue but the talks remained "inconclusive".

"We sought support of our fellow Asian co-hosts for matches to be played under the aegis of PCB in a safe neutral venue. Despite the fact that these discussions had been brokered by ICC President David Morgan and ICC Vice President Sharad Pawar who is Chairman of World Cup Central Organizing Committee, no progress was made," PCB said in a statement.

"This will mean that organizational issues surrounding the 2011 World Cup remain unresolved and that the legal proceedings the PCB has brought against the ICC in Dubai and in Lahore will continue," it added.

Sources said India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had asked Pakistan to accept the hosting fees for the 14 matches totaling USD 10.5 million but to forget about hosting the matches at home or at neutral venues.

Organisational difficulties

"At one stage Pakistan was told they could host four or five matches at neutral venues but Butt declined insisting on Pakistan getting its full quota of 14 matches," one source privy to the meetings said.

Butt expressed disappointment at the failure of the talks but was still hoping the other three countries from the sub-continent would reconsider the issue. "I had hoped support of my Asian co-hosts in resolving these organisational difficulties. I am deeply disappointed that no progress was made," said Butt.

"Rather than harmony amongst the co-hosts we will have disagreement and legal dispute. I hope they will reconsider their unreasonable stance so that the legal dispute can be resolved and a hugely successful World Cup organised." The contentious issue is expected to come up for discussion at the ICC annual board meeting in London on June 25.

PCB had served legal notices on the ICC after being stripped of hosting rights in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March and the deteriorating security situation in the volatile nation.

The ICC clarified earlier this week that while Pakistan was removed as a host nation, it remained a co-host.

PCB would still get a hosting fee of USD 750,000 per match from the ICC -- a total of USD 10.5 million for 14 games -- irrespective of where they were held or not.