Photo Credit: Twitter Profile Photo of @JayShah
Jay Shah, the current secretary of the BCCI, was elected as the ICC Chairman on Tuesday, August 27th. His appointment to the position was unopposed, with Pakistan also cooperating with other countries, despite the ongoing dispute over the Champions Trophy.
Rashid Latif, the former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter and captain, has shared his thoughts on Jay Shah’s appointment, expressing confidence that it will benefit Pakistan.
“PCB didn’t oppose the appointment of Jay Shah for a reason. I think there was an understanding between the two boards. If India play in Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, it will be because of Jay Shah’s efforts along with the support of the Indian government,” he said
Latif noted that Shah’s influence in the BCCI and ACC was crucial for building the Ahmedabad stadium. He believes this influence might extend to Shah’s ICC role, possibly helping secure India’s participation in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
He also mentioned that approval is already halfway granted, confirming that India will indeed visit Pakistan. He sounded very optimistic about Jay Shah and the role he will play in fostering cooperation between India and Pakistan.
“Approval has already been halfway granted. India is coming to Pakistan,” Latif added.
India hasn’t played in Pakistan for over 16 years, with their last visit being for the Asia Cup in 2008. Their most recent bilateral series was in 2013, and since then, they have only faced Pakistan in ICC events and the Asia Cup.
The Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to begin on February 19th and is set to be held entirely in Pakistan for now. However, India has been advocating for a hybrid model, similar to what was implemented for the 2023 Asia Cup.
It will be interesting to see how Jay Shah’s appointment as ICC Chairman might influence the structure of the tournament.
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