The International Cricket Council (ICC) has accepted the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request of not allowing any country to make an excuse of not coming to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, local media reported.
According to a local media report, the previous management committee had raised several objections based on the documents sent by the ICC, seeking advice from senior lawyers.
In May, ICC Chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice visited Pakistan, but the issue remained unresolved. Pakistan had taken the stance that if any country refused to send a team on security grounds, they would avoid unilateral decisions and instead seek an assessment of the situation from an independent security agency. The ICC has accepted this request.
The current plans solely involve hosting matches within Pakistan. However, there are concerns about the Indian government’s potential reluctance to allow the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to send the Indian team to Pakistan. A decision on this matter will be made in due course.
The report also suggested that if India chooses not to send their team, there might be a possibility of relocating some Champions Trophy matches to the UAE. However, the ICC would need to cover the additional expenses, and adjustments to the tournament format might be necessary.
The PCB management committee head Zaka Ashraf recently met with Khalid Al Zarooni, the Vice Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board. However, the Champions Trophy was not specifically discussed during their meeting. Despite this, the UAE has expressed strong cooperation with Pakistan.
It must be noted that although the ICC had previously awarded Pakistan the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy, the formal agreement was only signed this past Friday in Dubai after a prolonged deadlock.
Zaka Ashraf was accompanied by Jonathan Hall, ICC General Counsel, at the ICC headquarters for the agreement signing.
The PCB has already informed the government about the need for robust security measures for the visiting international teams during the Champions Trophy.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, in a recent meeting with the Chairman of the PCB Management Committee, assured cooperation from security agencies to ensure the successful hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.
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