As Pakistan prepares to host a series of high-profile cricket matches, including the highly-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025, former Pakistani batsman and coach Basit Ali has raised urgent and high-stakes concerns over security measures for visiting teams.
Basit has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take urgent security measures as the Bangladesh cricket team has already landed in Pakistan for the upcoming two-match Test series, followed by England and West Indies visiting the country.
Basit Ali demands top-notch protection for visiting team amid security threats in Pakistan ahead of 2025 Champions Trophy
With the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 on the horizon, Pakistan is facing enormous pressure to ensure flawless security. Amid the various challenges facing the PCB, Ali has issued a stark warning about the possible consequences if the security situation is not addressed effectively.
Pakistan has always faced increasing security challenges and given the terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009, the former national coach has stressed that any security lapse could jeopardise Pakistan’s dream of hosting the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Basit Ali said in his latest YouTube video, “I think Bangladesh is coming to Pakistan because of the 2025 Champions Trophy. After Bangladesh, England and West Indies will also visit Pakistan. So, we will have to tighten security. Because, God forbid, if such an incident happens, Pakistan will lose the hosting rights of the 2024 Champions Trophy. You know that our soldiers are being martyred in Balochistan and Peshawar.”
Basit Ali: There should not be even a single small incident in Pakistan
Basit also pointed to the dire situation in Balochistan and Peshawar, where security forces have been targeted, to highlight the seriousness of the current threats in Pakistan.
He urged the government and the PCB to prioritise the safety of visiting teams with the same level of protection provided to the Prime Minister and the President for upcoming international events.
He further said, “Only the government can tell us what is the reason behind that incident, but it is a mistake. The government should also focus on that. There should not be even a small incident in the upcoming cricket events. The security that the Prime Minister or the President have in our country, the players or teams travelling should have the same security in the country.”
Mohsin Naqvi must ensure strict security for visiting teams: Ali
He also urged PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also wields power in the government, to ensure tight security arrangements for upcoming matches in Pakistan if they do not want to lose the hosting rights for the next Champions Trophy 2025 in February-March.
Basit concluded by saying, “And there should not be even a small incident. I think Mohsin Nqvi, who is the PCB chairman, also has the power and connection with the government. I think he will be very conscious of how they should employ our security for the teams.”
It is noteworthy that the BCCI has already refused to send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy due to security concerns and Basit stressed that the PCB must ensure that there is not even a small incident in Pakistan otherwise things will get worse for them.
