Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh reacted to the ongoing tussle between Pakistan and India regarding the venue for Champions Trophy 2025.
“I have been to Pakistan twice with the Indian team and we enjoyed a lot. When we visited market, the shopkeepers didn’t charge us. We were gifted shawls. They are a good host but the situation is not right. It is in their hands to improve the situation. If it improves, every team would want to play in Pakistan,” Harbhajan Singh said.
“Ask all players, they would say they are ready to play in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. In any case, we don’t see too many Indo-Pak games as such, and Pakistan should keep their ego aside and agree to the ‘Hybrid Model’. There is a security concern (for India) and I have been saying this since 2022,” he added.
Development regarding venue for Champions Trophy
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials and chairman Mohsin Naqvi returned from Dubai, where he held several crucial meetings regarding the issue.
The board also shared that it remained firm on its stance and is awaiting the response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the newly-proposed ‘partnership model’.
It is pertinent to mention here that a new model, dubbed as ‘partnership formula’, is under consideration to end the deadlock between PCB and BCCI.
As per the new formula, Pakistan will also not play their matches in India during ICC events for next three years. Dubai is most likely to be the neutral venue for both the teams as per the expected new agreement.
If the proposed formula gets mutually agreed upon then there may not be a need for the board meeting and the apex cricketing body will communicate the development with the board members.
