In another setback for Pakistan, the ICC has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to cancel the Champions Trophy 2025 tour in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The tour was supposed to kick-off on November 16 in Islamabad before moving other other cities like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad. The planned tour in PoK did not go well with the BCCI, who raised objections to the ICC.
Ironically, the Pakistan Cricket Board has organized this tour in the disputed region despite making pleas to not mix politics with cricket. To date, the PoK territory remains disputed, with India maintaining their claim over the territory that was occupied by Pakistan “by force”. The Champions Trophy tour is most likely an act of revenge planned by the PCB following India’s refusal to travel to the neighbouring country. It is pertinent to note that India has boycotted tours in Pakistan ever since the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai which saw the involvement of Pakistan-backed terroists.
ICC asks Pakistan to cancel Champions Trophy tour
As per Times of India, the ICC directed the PCB to call of the Champions Trophy tour in PoK. The reports states that the decision was taken after BCCI objected to PCB’s plans. Incidentally, this development comes amid the ongoing row over India’s refusal to travel to the neighbouring country for the marquee event in February.
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Champions Trophy 2025 row ft. India
Last week, ICC informed the PCB that the BCCI had denied permission to the Indian team to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025. It is understood that the Indian government has denied permission to the team. While Pakistan has remained adamant over retaining the complete hosting right, the matter seems to be slipping out of their hands. Reports have claimed that the ICC could be mulling India or South Africa as the hosts if Pakistan do not consider the hybrid model.
Dragging India to court for refusing to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025 was one of the threats issued by Pakistan. The other threats include withdrawing from the tournament if a hybrid model is adopted, boycotting future ICC events where India will be participating in and writing a letter to the ICC seeking clarity on why India refused to travel to Pakistan.
Although PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had previously rejected a hybrid approach, it appears that the BCCI’s adamant position has compelled an another look. This surprising development by the neighboring country seems to have been prompted by the PCB’s earlier gesture of sending the Pakistani squad to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, even though India had declined to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup in the same year.
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