LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), has asked for the reasons behind the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in the country next year.
According to Geo News, PCB has also suggested ICC to consider conducting Champions trophy without India.
Following India’s announcement, speculation also arose over a potential “hybrid model” in which the UAE could serve as a neutral venue for select high-profile matches, including the anticipated India-Pakistan showdown. ESPNcricinfo reported that contingency planning has been underway for months, with the UAE and Sri Lanka among the top choices should matches be shifted.
Some media reports also suggest that Pakistan will boycott playing against India in all tournaments if India does not come to Pakistan.
Despite the scheduling challenges and political tensions, the ICC’s delegation plans to visit Lahore from November 10-12 to assess tournament preparations and discuss the way forward with local officials.
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and one more team—will compete for the Champions Trophy. For the tournament, these teams will be split into two groups.
