The International Cricket Council (ICC) has yet to receive an explanation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding its decision not to send the Indian team to Pakistan for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy.
On Monday, the ICC informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the BCCI had notified the global governing body of India’s refusal to participate in the eight-nation event in Pakistan. In response, the PCB sent a letter to the ICC on Tuesday, requesting clarification on the reasons behind the BCCI’s decision.
“No, we have not received any reply from the ICC yet and our next step will be according to the reply,” a PCB spokesperson told Dawn.
The situation is urgent as the ICC must announce the schedule for the Champions Trophy, set to take place from February 19 to March 9, by November 20. All matches are scheduled to be held in Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore.
If security concerns are the reason for the BCCI’s decision, it’s worth noting that the PCB had addressed security issues with the ICC in October, ensuring that arrangements for the Champions Trophy were satisfactory. Additionally, teams from England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, and Bangladesh have toured Pakistan in recent years without security incidents.
Sources have stated that the ICC faces a challenging situation regarding the Champions Trophy. “Though the case of the PCB is solid, the strong position of India in global cricket means the BCCI’s refusal [to tour Pakistan] makes it difficult for the PCB to enforce its terms,” sources said. “The ICC cannot afford to hold the Champions Trophy without India and Pakistan, as their matches are crucial for generating significant revenue from media, broadcast rights, and gate money.”
With only a few days remaining to announce the schedule, the sources suggested that if the situation remains unresolved, the ICC may have no option but to postpone the event.
Meanwhile, the ICC Champions Trophy has arrived in Islamabad as part of a tour across Pakistan in anticipation of the tournament. The first destination of the trophy, following its arrival in the federal capital, will be Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, on November 16. The trophy will be displayed across various locations, including Hunza, Murree, Muzaffarabad, and the tournament venues of Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi.
This marks the first time the Champions Trophy will tour a country before the event’s schedule has been finalized. The ICC had planned to announce the schedule in Lahore on November 11, but the BCCI’s refusal to tour Pakistan delayed the announcement.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
