Pakistan have made a huge threat against India ahead of ICC’s board meeting to decide on the fate of Champions Trophy 2025 on Friday.
Pakistan are getting desperate as the deadline looms to decide the fate of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The International Cricket Council (ICC) board are set to meet virtually at 230pm Dubai time (4pm IST) to decide which way Champions Trophy 2025, which is supposed to be hosted by Pakistan, is headed.
The 90-day deadline to announce the schedule for the ICC tournament has come and gone but there is no sign of matter getting resolved between India and Pakistan yet. The tournament has run into heavy weather ever since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that Team India will not be travelling to Pakistan for the tournament.
However, the PCB are refusing to budge from their stance of not hosting the tournament with a ‘hybrid’ model. It has been proposed by the ICC that all India matches, along with one semi-final and the final be held in Dubai while the remaining matches can be held in Pakistan. According to Cricbuzz website, the PCB’s latest communication appears to be a move to ‘up the ante’. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is slated to be held between February 19 and March 9 next year.
The PCB chairman, meanwhile, came out with a big threat to India ahead of the ICC meeting. “Pakistan will not keep participating in events in India while Indian authorities keep refusing to send their teams to Pakistan. Such an imbalance is not acceptable,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told media in Lahore on Wednesday night.
Asked about the scenario of the ICC members voting for a hybrid model, he said, :Our stance is well known. We will safeguard Pakistan’s interests.”
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi inspected the ongoing upgradation of the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and interacted with the media.
Media talk ➡️ https://t.co/nTZgrxNKlW pic.twitter.com/hvIor9x1dM
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 28, 2024
The meeting will be a test of the ICC’s ability to find a solution that satisfies all stakeholders, particularly India and Pakistan. The world body is already under pressure from host broadcasters – Mukesh Ambani’s JioStar – to announce the schedule of the tournament at the earlier and also ensure that there is an India vs Pakistan match in the group stages.
The ICC meeting on Friday holds more significance after Sri Lanka ‘A’ cancelled remainder of their tour of Pakistan after internal violence in Islamabad due to political protests involving Imran Khan’s PTI party. The ICC Board are expected to propose alternatives, with the hybrid model being a likely option, and Naqvi may seek time to respond, stating that he needs to consult with his government.
