Subscribing is the best way to get our best stories immediately.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has compelled the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to bow down to the demands after the International Cricket Council announced that the archrivals would play their Champions Trophy games on neutral ground, sources said.
The arch-rivals only meet in ICC multi-national events like ODI and T20 World Cups, with the last bilateral series held when Pakistan toured India in 2012-13.
India last toured Pakistan to feature in the 2008 Asia Cup and have not played a bilateral series across the border for 18 years.
Both the BCCI and the ICC have accepted all of Pakistan’s conditions following this pressure.
India’s refusal to play in Pakistan has backfired as the PCB “successfully negotiated” a condition that the archrival would not play in Pakistan for three years. Instead, both teams would compete at neutral venues for the next three years.
The decision would also apply to the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025; if India reaches the final, they would play at a neutral venue. Pakistan has secured the hosting rights for the Women’s World Cup 2028.
Earlier, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi spoke informally with reporters, stating that India would not back out of a written agreement this time. “The situation is different from the past and if India attempts to withdraw, they will face consequences.”
Naqvi stated that the venues in Dubai and Sri Lanka for matches against India have not yet been finalised.
It is noteworthy that after a long hiatus, Pakistan would be hosting a major ICC event, the Champions Trophy 2025, following the ICC Cricket World Cup 1996 and the Asia Cup 2008. All matches of the Champions Trophy would take place from February 19 to March 19 next year in three major cities of Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
But the BCCI has suggested moving their matches to neutral venues due to the Indian government’s refusal to allow a tour of Pakistan.
Since the Asia Cup in 2008, India has not played any matches in Pakistan and there have been no bilateral series between the two countries since Pakistan’s tour of India in 2012-2013.
Also, read this
Champions Trophy: US urges India and Pakistan to prioritize sports diplomacy
ICC to compensate PCB by offering another event to host
‘Any formula’ for Champions Trophy must be established on equal terms, says Naqvi
Last year, Pakistan was awarded the hosting rights for the Asia Cup, but India outright refused to travel to Pakistan. Under a hybrid model, all of India’s matches were scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka, where they easily defeated Sri Lanka in the final held in Colombo to claim the title.
The PCB’s governing board has ratified the chairman’s decisions regarding future matches and events.
In the last few years, Pakistan has hosted the world’s top teams after improving security, emerging from cricketing isolation that began after a militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 in Lahore.
For the latest news, follow us on Twitter @Aaj_Urdu. We are also on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

source

Post Views: 1