Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam
BCCI refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Since then there has been a dilemma regarding this tournament. The BCCI wants the tournament to be played under a hybrid model where Indian matches are organized in a third country. So far, the Pakistan Cricket Board has clearly denied this. Now the ICC will hold a virtual (online) meeting on November 29 to resolve this issue. In which there will be discussion to finalize the Champions Trophy program. There has already been a long delay in announcing its schedule.
ICC to hold meeting
The ICC Board will meet on November 29 to discuss the Champions Trophy schedule, an ICC spokesperson told PTI on Tuesday. This important virtual meeting will be held two days before BCCI Secretary Jay Shah takes over as ICC President on December 1. He and other board members will be eager to resolve the matter before new officials take office.
PCB spent money to renovate the stadium
The Pakistan Cricket Board had earlier sent the ICC a draft schedule for the Champions Trophy 2025, in which matches would be held in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. All of India’s matches were held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. PCB has spent a lot of money on renovating these stadiums. For this reason, PCB is putting all its efforts to ensure that the Champions Trophy is held here. There were also reports in the media that if Pakistan agrees to the hybrid model, India’s matches could be held in the UAE or South Africa.
The Asian Cup was held in a hybrid model
Previously, Pakistan had secured the hosting of the Asia Cup 2023. Then it was played in the hybrid model, in which all the matches of the Indian team were played in Sri Lanka. Some matches were also held in Pakistan. Now India has accepted only the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy and the Pakistan Cricket Board rejects it.
I haven’t visited Pakistan since 2008.
The Indian team has not toured Pakistan since the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008. The last bilateral series between the two teams was played in the year 2012-13. Then the Pakistani team came to tour India. Since then, both teams are seen playing against each other only in ICC and Asia Cup tournaments.
(Entry: PTI)
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