Dengue outbreak prompts T20 venue shift

KARACHI: A outbreak of dengue fever in Pakistan's Punjab capital Lahore has led the Pakistan cricket Board to shift its premier domestic tournament to the southern city of Karachi.

The PCB announced its decision on Wednesday after President Asif Zardari, who is also chief patron of the board, had advised to move the national T20 championship out of Lahore.

Zardari's advice came during a meeting he held with senior sports officials to discuss fund-raising matches for the flood victims in the Sindh province.

"Everyone suggested that because of the dengue fever outbreak in Lahore the event should be held in Karachi and the President agreed," Javed Miandad, the board's director general in the board, told reporters.

"The President also felt having the tournament in Karachi would allow the board to showcase it and raise awareness for the assistance required by the flood victims."

The dengue outbreak started in August, since when around 30 people have died from the disease in Lahore.

Copyright Reuters, 2011