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Babar Azam (left) and Rohit Sharma©AFP
A “hybrid model” to host next year’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan remains an option as the ICC cannot decide India’s participation if there is a government policy against it, an ICC source told PTI on Friday. almighty executive board of the governing body. The ICC board meeting is currently underway in Dubai. The Champions Trophy, to be held in February-March 2025, is not on the agenda but newly elected PCB president Mohsin Naqvi has stated that he wants to speak to his BCCI counterpart Jay Shah as well as the ICC bigwigs on the sidelines, looking for some kind of security.
However, an ICC Board member, who is aware of the developments, feels that any decision by the BCCI will only be taken closer to the tournament and, once again, the idea of using the UAE as a venue potential cannot be completely ruled out.
“Each member can raise their concerns for discussion at Board meetings and it will then be put to a vote. But if the government (of a member nation) expressly says it cannot play there, the ICC would have to look for an alternative.” a veteran administrator, who has attended multiple board meetings, told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“…because the position of the ICC Board remains that it does not expect its members to go against any policy/instructions issued by their own government,” he said.
Teams from England, Australia and New Zealand have traveled to Pakistan in the recent past and the BCCI will also be under pressure to visit the conflict-torn country for the multinational engagement.
When asked if any hesitation on India’s part would lead to a vote against the country, the source said such a situation would not arise if there was a government directive.
“Let’s not forget that the threat perception for an Indian cricket team would always be higher compared to Australia, England and New Zealand,” said a former BCCI official, who is aware of the inner workings of the global body.
Will diplomacy work? ============= In January-February, the Indian Davis Cup team was in Islamabad for their World Group tie and the players as well as the support staff were satisfied with the measures. security.
However, there is much more at stake when it comes to the Indian cricket team that boasts superstars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant.
“The BCCI would obviously be forced to look at it from the point of view that the Pakistan government allowed their team to play in the World Cup in India last year.
“Therefore, this being a global event and not a continental event like the Asian Cup, the Indian government could take a softer stance. BCCI president Roger Binny and vice-president Rajiv Shukla traveled to Pakistan during the Asian Cup. Asia,” the ICC board member hoped.
Hybrid model
The Champions Trophy, which originally started in 1998 as the ‘Mini World Cup’, is played between the top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings. The last edition was held in 2017 in England and Wales and, meanwhile, the ICC was unable to fit the tournament into an already packed calendar for major cricket boards, which now also own lucrative T20 leagues.
In 2023, after the Indian government did not allow its team to travel to Pakistan, it was held in the ‘Hybrid Model’ and India played all its matches, including both against Pakistan, in Sri Lanka.
With February and March being two ideal months to play cricket in the UAE and three international stadiums ready for use, it could well be the second country in a “hybrid model” in case India does not want to travel to Pakistan.
The eight teams are expected to be divided into two groups and India’s group matches could be held in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
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