With the ICC postponing the Champions Trophy until next year, the cricket Board in Pakistan is now hoping that India will support Pakistan in having a triangular one-day series either in South Africa or Australia next month.

The PCB said it has started talks with the Indian, South African and Australian counterparts to have a triangular series after the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to postpone the eight-nation Champions Trophy due to security concerns raised by four of the eight participating teams.

Shafqat Naghmi, a senior official of the Board told PTI that they had opened discussions with South Africa and Australia to host the offshore series.

"We are hoping to play a tri-series in South Africa with India. The Indian board President during the teleconference yesterday gave us 50 per cent assurance that this might be possible," Naghmi said.

"We have also spoken to Australia that if the South African plan does not materialise we can involve them but we first have to see how the Indian board responds because their participation will help boost broadcasters and sponsors interest in such a series," he added.

The Board official said he was hopeful about having the series since South Africa had been very receptive to playing hosts.

Naghmi said even if India and Australia didn't agree Pakistan was considering other options like playing a bilateral one-day rubber in South Africa or hosting Sri Lanka at home for five one day matches.

"The postponement of the Champions Trophy means that all the teams are free next month and I think they can help us out. Obviously the postponement of the Champions Trophy has been a setback for us in many ways and we need to play cricket," Nagmi said.

Naghmi said the board was more worried about giving exposure to the team which had been preparing hard for the Champions Trophy.

The ICC decided to postpone the Champions Trophy on Sunday after South Africa, England, Australia and New Zealand all expressed their inability to play in Pakistan due to security concerns.

Naghmi said that obviously Pakistan was disappointed with the outcome of the ICC executive board teleconference but now wanted to move on and make sure that the Champions Trophy was held next year.

He played down reports that Pakistan held Australia, England and New Zealand responsible for forcing the postponement of the tournament.

"We wouldn't like to blame anyone we are disappointed that despite our security assurances they didn't listen to us. But the problem is that while we had made elaborate security plan for the tournament every team had their own areas of concerns and it was not possible to cater to all of them," he said.

Feared exodus

Meanwhile, after the resignation of Nasim Ashraf as the Chairman of the Pakistan cricket Board, another key figure in the Board might also make an exit in next few days, sources said on Monday.

Sources say that Shafqat Naghmi, the chief operating officer of the Board might also vacate his position or be asked to leave.

"Naghmi has been working on deputation in the board on the insistence of Ashraf for last two years and he is expected to be recalled to Islamabad for duty any day now as the sports ministry is planning to announce an ad-hoc committee to run the cricket affairs soon," a well-placed source said.

He pointed out that Naghmi's departure would be a big setback for the Board as practically he was running the cricket affairs even when Ashraf was Chairman.

"After Ashraf's resignation, Naghmi has been in the thick of the things especially in the Champions Trophy issue. But apparently they are people in Islamabad who now want him back on government duty as the plan is to have a new set up in the board," the source added.

Sources said that Ashraf's resignation had been accepted by the government and the President's secretariat would soon appoint the ad-hoc committee that would include some former Test players.