Pakistan has not hosted any major ICC event since the 1996 ODI World Cup , which it co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, recently invited ICC board members to Pakistan to review the preparations for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
ICC ‘satisfied’ with PCB’s preparations for Champions Trophy
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has expressed satisfaction with the preparations for next year’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan , according to sources quoted by ANI. The PCB presented a detailed briefing on the arrangements for the tournament, which is slated to be held across three stadiums in Pakistan .
The three venues picked for the Champions Trophy are currently undergoing renovation work. The ICC board members were assured by Mohsin Naqvi that the upgradation of the stadiums will be completed within the stipulated time.
However, there is still uncertainty over Team India’s participation in the tournament due to tense relations between India and Pakistan . India has not played any cricket tournaments in Pakistan since 2008, and it is unclear if they will travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy .
The ICC is considering three options for hosting the tournament: holding it in Pakistan as planned, hosting it in both Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a hybrid model, or hosting the entire tournament outside of Pakistan, with Dubai, Sri Lanka, or South Africa as possible hosts.
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This development is a significant setback for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as it had been pushing for the tournament to be moved out of Pakistan due to security concerns. The BCCI will now have to reconsider its stance and decide whether to participate in the tournament in Pakistan or opt for one of the alternative venues if the ICC decides to go the other way.
The PCB, however, will be hoping for India to participate in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan as it will help the country send a positive message to the cricketing world.
