The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to cancel the scheduled trophy tour of Champions Trophy 2025 in Skardu, Murree and Muzaffarabad under Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). This decision of the ICC comes after the objections of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the tour schedule shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
A nationwide trophy tour was announced by the PCB from 16 to 24 November. However, the ICC has decided to keep Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) areas out of the tour. The decision came amid the ongoing controversy over India's participation in the Champions Trophy after the ICC informed the PCB that India would not travel to Pakistan for matches.
According to media reports, the ICC had not yet given the green signal to the final plan for the Champions Trophy tour, but the Pakistan Cricket Board had already released it. PCB wrote on social media site Watch the glimpse that Sarfaraz Ahmed had at the Oval from 16-24 November in 2017.”
The Champions Trophy was brought from Dubai to Islamabad two days before the scheduled start of the Trophy Tour. This is the first time that the trophy tour of an ICC event will be organized before the announcement of the tournament schedule. Usually the tournament schedule is announced four months before the start of the ICC tournament.
After India's refusal to tour Pakistan, there is doubt whether the Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan or not. On Thursday, news came that the broadcasters are putting pressure on the ICC to immediately announce the schedule of the Champions Trophy.
After not getting permission from the Indian government, BCCI has verbally told ICC that Team India will not tour Pakistan. BCCI wants Pakistan to organize the Champions Trophy through a hybrid model, in which India's matches should be held outside Pakistan, in Dubai and the final should also be organized in Dubai.
But Pakistan Cricket Board is not ready for this. There are reports that in such a situation, the rights to host the Champions Trophy can be taken away from Pakistan, after which the PCB has indicated that if this happens then Pakistan will boycott the Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, the PCB is exploring the option of approaching the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on the matter as they are adamant on hosting the full tournament in Pakistan.
(With inputs from IANS)
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