NZCPA disappointed in ICC choice

New Zealand Cricket Players' Association boss Heath Mills is disappointed by the decision of the International Cricket Council to keep the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

The ICC announced on Thursday that September's tournament would remain in Pakistan despite concerns about security after a spate of bombings in the country.

Instead, the ICC would set up a task force which will head to Pakistan before the tournament to evaluate security measures in the cities that will play host to matches - Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.

Despite these measures, Mills said player safety was still not guaranteed and that the NZCPA would be recommending the players did not travel to Pakistan.

"We're very strong on the position that player safety should be the number one priority when making these sorts of decisions. Given the reports that we've read and the meetings that we've attended there is no way that we could recommend to the players that they travel to Pakistan at this point in time," he told PA Sport.

"We don't really see how the ICC or New Zealand Cricket could guarantee that that is a safe workplace for the players. I don't see our position changing any time soon."

New Zealand Cricket is likely to face a substantial fine if a team is not sent to the tournament which is scheduled to begin on September 11.

There is a very real chance that an under-strength side could be sent with a number of senior Black Caps having already stated their reluctance to go to Pakistan.

However, Mills said the players' association was pushing for any decision on whether or not to participate to be a collective one.

"We are strongly working towards a situation where the players don't have to make an individual choice, we think that is completely inappropriate," he added.

"We've advised New Zealand Cricket that we don't want them to ask players individually whether or not they want to go."

"It's far too hard for a young player, for a fringe player, to opt out of the tour. Whilst the top five, six, seven players in the team can comfortably opt out of the tour and know that their position is going to be safe in the team, it's not the case for the junior players or the fringe players and they will feel compelled to go for fear of losing their place in the side."

"We think it's unfair and unreasonable for New Zealand Cricket to ask individual players as to whether or not they want to go. In all honesty, it's our view that it's not safe to go and we shouldn't be sending anyone there at the moment."

NZC would not comment on the ICC's decision but in a statement said it was 'talking to the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association about player safety and security concerns following the International Cricket Council's overnight decision that the ICC Champions Trophy remain in Pakistan'.

Chief executive Justin Vaughan will also discuss players concerns with the NZC Board before the organisation will make any further comment on the situation.

New Zealand is not the only country to have expressed grave reservations about holding the tournament in Pakistan.

Players in England, Australia and South Africa are also understood to be reluctant to go to the country and there have been some suggestions that one or more of the four teams opposed to the decision could