LAHORE: The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, while visiting Gaddafi Stadium on Monday, spoke to the media regarding the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 preparations and said that sports and politics are separate, and no country should bring politics into sports.
Mohsin Naqvi also discussed the plans for hosting the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, affirming that Pakistan is fully prepared to hold the tournament.
He said that the work on Gaddafi Stadium will be completed on time. Regarding the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025, he mentioned that he has requested Aqib Javed to take on the role of interim head coach until then. He explained, “We don’t want to rush into hiring another coach and risk complications. To avoid this, Aqib Javed will cover the three-month gap for the white-ball format. After that, we are working on a few other things and will make decisions in the next 10 to 15 days to bring in a good head coach.”
The Chairman confirmed that the PCB is currently waiting for a response from the ICC regarding the hosting arrangements. He said that all the qualifying teams are ready to come to the country, and there is no issue with any team. He added, “I would still say that if India has any concerns, they should talk to us, and we will address their reservations. Because I don’t think there is any reason why the Indian team can’t come. Pakistan’s respect comes first. Our stance is clear, and we will stand by it.”
PCB, in a letter to the 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 2025 scheduled to be held in the country next year.
The ICC reached out to the BCCI, asking for a formal written explanation for their decision not to visit Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025.
