Newly appointed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi wants assurances from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah regarding Team India’s trip to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. 2025, scheduled for February 2025.
According to PTI reports, it is learned that Mohsin Naqvi will travel to Dubai next week for the ICC meeting and file his complaint. The PCB chairman also plans to talk to Jay Shah on the sidelines of the issue.
Jay Shah is unlikely to commit because the Indian team’s decision to travel to Pakistan will depend on the Indian government. With Champions Trophy 2025 Still a year from now, there is a good chance that the BCCI will not make any comment.
A source close to PCB said that the biggest concern for Pakistan will be getting the Indian team to play the Champions Trophy at home. He said the governing body would hope not to have a hybrid model like the Asia Cup 2023. He said:
“The biggest concern for the PCB is whether India will send its team to Pakistan and whether there will be a repeat of last year’s Asia Cup problems.”
The 2023 Asia Cup was earlier scheduled to be played in Pakistan. However, the BCCI did not agree to send the Indian team. This paved the way for the hybrid model to take its place. The tournament was then played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with India playing their matches in the island nation along with the final.
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2013. Due to political tensions between the nations, they only face each other in ICC tournaments and Asian Cups. The last time India was in Pakistan was in 2008 during the Asia Cup.
Pakistan has since traveled to India four times in ICC World Cup events in 2011 (ODI World Cup), 2016 (T20 World Cup) and 2023 (ODI World Cup) and the ODI and T20I series in 2012-13.
Mohsin Naqvi to convince ICC, BCCI to confirm India coming to Pakistan: reports
The PCB source further stated that since the Champions Trophy will be an ICC event, Mohsin Naqvi will try to convince the ICC and the BCCI to participate. Reports claimed that the PCB chairman would also ensure the safety of the team. He added:
“This is an ICC event and Pakistan went to India last year for the World Cup. Naqvi will try to convince the ICC and BCCI that they should confirm that India will come to Pakistan as soon as possible as this will help them promote CT.
“Naqvi will try to assure the BCCI representatives that with the elections (in Pakistan) completed and a new government in place, there will be no security or other concerns for them to play in Pakistan.”
A BCCI source was also asked about India’s trip to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. In response to this, he stated that the PCB president was wrong in saying that the BCCI would give them assurances about the tournament now. He added:
“‘Playing in Pakistan is something that only the Indian government can decide and the BCCI will have to follow the government’s diktat. Furthermore, it is too early to ask the government for permission and if your new president expects some kind of guarantee in March 2024 for a tournament in February-March 2025, you are wrong.” He concluded.