So far, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not spoken about India’s move to avoid taking part in the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan next year. The International Cricket Council (ICC) told the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday that the BCCI had decided not to send its team to the eight-nation tournament from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
The PCB responded by writing a letter to the ICC seeking clarification based on BCCI’s decision. Representatives of PCB say security cannot be the reason since the ICC had earlier declared itself satisfied with the security measures undertaken by Pakistan for the tournament during an October review. A PCB spokesperson was quoted on Thursday: “No, we have not received any reply from the ICC yet and our next move will depend on their response.”
Security issues seem a bit too superficial, considering that Pakistan has allowed the England and Australia teams, New Zealand, and other top teams to visit the country without any untoward incidents in the last couple of years. The ICC is, however, caught between the financial weight from India on one hand and the logistical, and more importantly, the sporting value of the Champions Trophy on the other.
Sources indicate that the BCCI’s decision may prove expensive as it is likely to lose its potential revenues, for it is these matches between India and Pakistan that form the bulk of media and broadcast revenue. If that does not happen either, the waiting around may finally lead to a postponement of the tournament’s schedule, even as it is likely that the ICC will finally confirm the November 20 schedule announcement.
One thing is for sure: the ICC Champions Trophy itself is coming to Pakistan on a promotional tour. The trophy would begin its journey from Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, on November 16 and reach other breathtaking locations – Hunza, Murree, and Muzaffarabad – and tour the bigger cities of Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, where all the matches are scheduled to be held.
This is the first time the trophy tour has started without an official schedule in place. A decision by the ICC within days will likely have far-reaching implications in cricketing circles and after recent years of tension between India and Pakistan on a world stage.
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