Hayden is ready to play in Pak

The lure of adding one more silverware to his cabinet by winning the Champions Trophy could spur Hayden.

The lure of adding one more silverware to his cabinet by winning the Champions Trophy could spur Australian opener Matthew Hayden into saying yes to travelling to Pakistan but only if his safety is assured there.

“We’re on the eve of competing in what’s known as the second World Cup. We don’t want to walk away. It’s certainly one that I want to be involved in if it means that my safety is not compromised,” Hayden was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald.

Following a security briefing in Dubai on Sunday, the ICC board has said it would make a final decision on Thursday on Pakistan’s status as hosts.

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Hayden, who wasn’t part of the 2006 edition of the tournament in India which Australia won, said he would make his decision based on security briefings by Cricket Australia.

Captain Ricky Ponting had indicated last month that some of his players were uneasy to tour Pakistan because of the security situation there. All-rounder Andrew Symonds had expressed reservations but Shane Watson and Nathan Hauritz stated they were willing to tour.

“We’re going to get the information from experts and we can sit down together with Cricket Australia, with Australian Cricketers Association, with the playing group and make a decision based on that.

“If the information from security came back saying ‘Yes, there are dangers as there are in any place you travel but I think it is fine to go’, I would take that on board before I made my decision,” said Hayden, who was forced to pull-out of the tour of West Indies recently due to an injury.

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