The Pakistan Cricket Board has reportedly left it to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to convince India to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy. Pakistan are set to host the event but it is not clear whether India will send its team to the neighbouring nation due to the strained political relations.
According to a report in PTI, the Pakistan Board has left it to the ICC to announce the tournament's schedule and also get confirmation from the BCCI whether India will travel to Pakistan for the ICC tournament.
It added that a PCB source has informed the news agency that while the budget was approved at the recent ICC meetings in Colombo, there was no discussion on the schedule and format of the tournament. Notably, PCB has already submitted the draft schedule.
"The PCB now has done what was required of it as hosts of the Champions Trophy. It has submitted the draft schedule and format for the event and also submitted budget for the event," a PCB insider said as quoted by PTI.
"It is now up to the ICC how soon they circulate, discuss and finalize the schedule of the Champions Trophy. The PCB for its part in the draft schedule has suggested hosting all of India’s games in Lahore including a semi-final (if India qualifies) and final," he added.
Another source stated that the PCB has submitted all the details in its expression of interest document with the ICC as hosts of the global tournament. "The PCB for its part has given in writing to the ICC about the tax modalities, venue selections and clearance from its government for Indian team to be hosted in Pakistan for the mega event," another source added.
India has maintained its stance that the decision to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy is in the hands of the Indian government. A BCCI source had stated that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan. "India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Will tell ICC to hold its matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka," a BCCI had told the news agency ANI earlier.
"In the case of the Champion Trophy, we will do whatever the Government of India will tell us to do. We send our team only when the Government of India permits us. So we will go according to the decision of the Indian government," BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla had told ANI earlier when quizzed about the same issue.
