NEW DELHI, Nov 9: Pakistan is learnt to have threatened to boycott the future events of the International Cricket Council (ICC) if India refused to travel to Pakistan to participate in the Champions’ Trophy to be held there,
While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the country’s interior minister, did not spell out in spell out in so many words Pakistan’s next move but expressed his disappointment following reports of India having officially communicated to the PCB about its decision not to send a team to Pakistan to play in the Champions’ Trophy, Pakistan former captain Rashid Latif, a close associate of Mr Naqvi, said Pakistan might take the big step of boycotting the ICC events if India did not go to Pakistan.
The India – Pakistan tussle off the cricket pitch has started once again over the Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in Pakistan in 2025. According to several reports, India will not be travelling to Pakistan and a hybrid model of hosting is being worked out. In response to these reports the PCB chairman only remarked, “In recent years, Pakistan has extended numerous good gestures. However, we hope we are not expected to always do so.”
But Latif was more forthright. “If it is a bilateral series or Asia Cup, then the teams are asked, whether India wants to play or not. This is an ICC event. The cycle has been signed from 2024-2031. All the broadcasters and sponsors have signed about the teams that will participate in the Champions Trophy or the World Cup,” Latif said.
“If a team denies to participate, they need to have a solid reason to justify their call. Just like in 1996, the West Indies and Australia did not go to Sri Lanka but still reached the final. If you make a reason for security, then it is not a solid reason. Teams like Australia, New Zealand, England, and South Africa are coming to Pakistan. They want to come to Pakistan,” he added.
“ICC is existing only because there is Pakistan and India. If the government of Pakistan also says like India that we won’t play, then the ICC will be of no use as no one will watch the match,” Rashid said. “We can say that India does not want to play bilateral matches, but you can’t deny the ICC events as you already have signed it. India has to make solid ground. If India doesn’t come this time, Pakistan will take a big step by not participating in the tournament,” he added.
The Champions Trophy will feature two groups of four teams each, with participants including Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and defending champions Pakistan.
India and Pakistan have not engaged in a bilateral cricket series since the 2012-13 Pakistan tour of India, due to strained political relations. Since then, the two teams have only faced each other in major International Cricket Council (ICC) white-ball events and Asia Cup tournaments.
(Manas Dasgupta)