Champions Trophy standoff: PCB chairman says India’s refusal to travel to Pakan is ‘an unequal situation’ | Cricket News
Pakan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has questioned India’s continued refusal to visit the country to play cricket, as the impasse continues over Champions Trophy 2025.
“It is just not possible that while Pakan keeps on going and playing in India all events the Indian authorities are not willing to send their team to play in Pakan. We can’t have such an unequal situation,” Naqvi told reporters last night at the Gaddafi stadium, reported PTI.
At a virtual meeting called for the International Cricket Council to be held on Friday, The Indian Express reported that a hybrid model is likely to be proposed to the PCB for the Champions Trophy which will see India’s three matches, a semifinal and the final to be played in a neutral country. India have intimated to the ICC their refusal to travel to Pakan for the tournament. PCB wants the entire Champions Trophy to be played at Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. However, fresh tensions rising in Pakan, which led to Sri Lanka’s cricket board canceling it’s A team tour, is unlikely to help PCB’s stance during the meeting.
Naqvi played it safe regarding the ‘Hybrid’ model for the Champions Trophy, as earlier he had asserted that PCB would not accept the proposed format. “All I can assure is whatever happens in the meeting we will come out with good news and decisions which will be accepted our people,” he said.
Naqvi hoped that Jay Shah, who will take over as the ICC Chairman December 5, would take decisions based in the interest of world cricket and all member boards. “Jay Shah takes charge in December, and I’m sure once he moves from the BCCI to the ICC, he will think about the ICC’s benefit, and that’s what he should do. Whenever anyone assumes such a role, he should only consider the interests of that organisation,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)
