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The International Cricket Council (ICC) awards the biennial knockout tournament and no country makes a formal bid to earn rights to host the competition, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said Thursday.

"The ICC awards the competition, no one makes a bid," PCB media manager Khalid Butt said from Lahore.

His explanation came after PCB director Brig Munawwar Rana, who represented Pakistan at the ICC meeting in Kuala Lumpur point blank refused to comment on the subject.

The game's controlling body last week announced India as the most "preferred venue" for next year's competition while UAE, Sri Lanka and Australia were announced as standby centres. The ICC also said if India failed to stage the competition next year, it would organize the tournament in 2004 while England were confirmed venue for 2006.

Nevertheless, an ICC spokesman said England was announced host after "the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was happy to offer to host the tournament in 2006.

"India has been the preferred location for the knockout tournament for many months, a decision reached when A.C Muthiah was BCCI president."

The PCB media manager, however, admitted that hosting the prestigious tournament was a great honour.

The PCB spokesman dispelled impression that the KnockOut tournament was a money-spinning event. "All the profits go to ICC's Development Programme and then 50 per cent are allocated to ACC and the rest to the other Development Regions.

"The host board only receives 50 per cent of the game receipts from the tournament," the PCB official said. Asked if Pakistan had confirmed its participation if India hosts the tournament next year, the spokesman said it was too early to say.

"The ball is in India's court because they have to confirm if they are hosting the tournament next year. The final decision would be made in February.

"India knows the situation and so does the ICC," he said, while referring to India's unsporting attitude towards Pakistan which has forced the officials here to review their cricketing relationship.

India twice refused to cross borders for scheduled tours which caused bulk of the $30million financial loss to Pakistan. It also withdrew from April's Sharjah Cup because Pakistan was one of the three title contenders. "Things will clear in February and after that relevant decisions would be made," he said.

Meanwhile, the ICC left the door ajar for Pakistan to make grounds and convince the game's controlling body to award the 2004 tournament to it.

A spokesman of the ICC said UAE, Sri Lanka and Australia were the alternate venues only for the 2002 competition.

"A decision on the host country for the 2004 event would not be made until much closer to the date of the tournament," Mark Harrison, ICC's communication manager, said.

The announcement means the slot for 2004 host will be vacant if India overcomes its tax problems, television rights dispute and assure Pakistan to honour future commitments before agreeing for next year's event.

© Dawn