File photo of the cricket match between India and Pakistan
The impasse over the ICC Champions Trophy model continues after the Pakistani government reportedly asked the board not to move any games abroad. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) about the Indian government's decision not to send its team across the border. However, Pakistan also remained determined not to host any match outside the country as it had secured the rights to host the entire tournament at home.
The PCB had sought help from the Pakistani government in this matter. A report in Indian Express now claims that the Pakistani government has refused to allow even a single game to be taken abroad.
“Our government has told us that we should not move any match out of Pakistan and that will be our stand when the time comes. At this point, the ICC has just informed us of India's decision. We have the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy so there is no way we can shift the games outside Pakistan,” a PCB official told the newspaper on condition of anonymity.
Former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali also confirmed the same during a video on his YouTube channel, saying that the country's government has barred PCB from accepting the hybrid model.
With Pakistan keen to host the entire event domestically and India unwilling to cross the border due to security reasons, the fate of the Champions Trophy hangs in the balance.
Earlier, a report claimed that the tournament could also be moved to South Africa if the PCB and BCCI do not reach a common ground. If that happens, Pakistan is unlikely to participate in the event.
Some suggestions also indicate that the tournament could be held without either of the two teams, but such a compromise would have huge financial implications for ICC and its revenue.
Cricket matches between India and Pakistan not only generate money for the boards of the two teams, but also give ICC, and thereby other teams, a healthy revenue-generating system.
Topics mentioned in this article
