Ever since the ICC awarded the 2025 Champions Trophy to Pakistan, there have been concerns over India’s participation in the marquee event given the diplomatic tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
According to latest reports, the ICC has chosen to cancel a major event related to next year’s Champions Trophy, that was supposed to be announced on November 11 in Lahore, owing to the hiccups they have encountered in scheduling, especially India games.
As per Cricbuzz, it is believed that the ICC has initially planned to announce and host an event, marking the 100-day countdown to the Champions Trophy. But, due to complications in scheduling, the cricketing body has chosen to postpone the same.
“The schedule is not confirmed, we are still in discussions with the host and participating nations on the Champions Trophy schedule. Once confirmed we will announce through our normal channels,” an involved official in the know of the developments had stated to Cricbuzz.
“It was only a trophy tour flag off and tournament/branding launch,” said an official downplaying the controversy surrounding the schedule and the non-starting event on November 11. “That (the event) is still in the works — though may be rescheduled because of Lahore outdoor activities are difficult right now.”
Although it is understood that the problems may have arisen due to the complications regarding India’s participation in the tournament, especially concerning their travel to Pakistan, one can expect the ICC to also state the declining weather conditions in the city of Lahore currently as a reason behind the delay.
Ever since the ICC awarded the 2025 Champions Trophy to Pakistan, there have been concerns over India’s participation in the marquee event given the diplomatic tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
The BCCI has reportedly informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) about the Indian government’s denial of permission to travel to Pakistan for the showpiece event.
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“This is an ICC event, and BCCI has informed the global body that it won’t travel to Pakistan. It will depend on the ICC to inform the host nation about the development and then close in on the scheduling of the tournament. The convention is to announce the schedule 100 days prior to the commencement of the event,” PTI quoted a source from the BCCI as saying.
The BCCI intimating to the ICC about its inability to travel to Pakistan would leave the PCB with no option but to organise the Champions Trophy in the ‘Hybrid Model’. However, board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in a press conference that his board had not received any official communication from the BCCI.
“We have a clear stance that they must give it to us in writing if they [the Indian cricket board] have any issues. Till today, we have not spoken about any hybrid model, but we’re ready to speak on this,” Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chairman, told reporters in Lahore recently.
“Now, if Indian media is reporting this, then there must be some letter the ICC will give us, or the Indian Board might have written this somewhere. Till now, no such letter has reached me or the PCB,” he said.
