Kevin Pietersen has become the first England cricketer to express doubts about travelling to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy in September as momentum builds for a boycott over safety and security fears that would place the competition in jeopardy as a serious event.

Player representatives in Australia described the risk as “unacceptable”, while their equivalents in South Africa and New Zealand were also highly critical of the ICC’s decision on Thursday not to move to the alternative venue of Sri Lanka. Ricky Ponting, Jacob Oram and Andrew Symonds have hinted that they will pull out.

The ECB is to meet early next month to confirm whether to pull out, with Pietersen, having spoken to David Collier, the chief executive, yesterday, saying that he believes the board will “make the right decision”. In the unlikely event of the ECB deciding to participate, Pietersen and others will withdraw anyway.

Pietersen said: “For sure, I have reservations about going there. Everybody has reservations about going to Pakistan — all the Australians and New Zealanders. I have spoken to some of the South Africans and West Indians as well. Loads of players have their reservations.

“The ECB are making a statement on August 3 or 4 and the matter is being taken out of our hands. I will wait until then. I don’t think pressure should be put on any individual, especially when your life could be at risk.”

Collier said: “It is a very fluid situation in Pakistan. It is primarily the external environment we are looking at and where we have raised concerns. Clearly, other boards are in the same position. The safety and security of our players is paramount and we won’t compromise on that.”

Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, concurred with Pietersen — unusual in itself — saying that his players have “major concerns” about taking part. “A lot has happened, from a security point of view, since we were there last October and those things are worrying,” he said. “I don’t know any players who don’t have issues about security. There were bombings in Karachi and bombings are taking place in Lahore now. Within three days of us returning home, there was a state of emergency, so we have seen how quickly things develop.”

The ICC pulled back from a split over the Zimbabwe issue in Dubai recently but while the ECB always felt that it had an ace up its sleeve in preventing that nation from competing in the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in England next year, there are no hidden cards this time. The issue goes beyond cricket to a question of human life. Up to four boards appear ready to say that they will not send teams to Pakistan.

By deciding not to switch the tournament in September to Sri Lanka, the Asian bloc must have realised that they were risking the credibility — even the existence — of the event. If, as seems probable, England, Australia and New Zealand — perhaps South Africa, too — pull out, the choice is between a competition with only four or five of the eight leading countries or nothing.

The boards will keep in close touch over the next week. Australia have made it clear that they do not intend to travel; they refused to do so in March this year. England and New Zealand are receiving the same security advice and will presumably respond in the same way.

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