Mohammad Rizwan speaks to reporters in Pakistan© AFP
As the standoff over the ICC Champions Trophy venue continues, Pakistan's newly appointed ODI and T20I skipper Mohammad Rizwan has broken his silence on the issue. The Indian team is unlikely to be allowed to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, prompting the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to demand alternative options. While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and other stakeholders in Pakistani cricket are doing their best to prevent the tournament from being pulled out of the country, no resolution has been reached on the issue yet.
Rizwan, who replaced Babar Azam as Pakistan's new white-ball skipper, has sent a message to the Indian team asking them to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
“The fans here love Indian cricketers, and they would love to see the Indian team play in Pakistan. If they come, we will give them a warm welcome,” Rizwan said on the subject.
Uncertainty remains over whether India will go to Pakistan for the mega event. India has not played any cricket tournaments in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup due to strained relations between the two countries due to terrorism.
A series played in India from December 2012 to January 2013 marked the last bilateral series between the two countries. Since then, both countries have only clashed in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup. On the other hand, Pakistan has traveled to India three times since the 2008 Asia Cup.
Recently, reports surfaced about the International Cricket Council (ICC) exploring three options regarding hosting the Champions Trophy.
According to reports, ICC wants the tournament to either go ahead in Pakistan as planned or take place in both Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of the hybrid model.
Under this hybrid model, India matches and knockout stage matches will take place in Dubai. The third option is for the entire tournament to take place outside Pakistan, with Dubai, Sri Lanka or South Africa as possible hosts.
With ANI inputs
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