The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to finalize the hosting rights agreements for the Champions Trophy 2025, emphasizing that the PCB should receive compensation if India declines to visit, citing political and security concerns.
A highly reliable source within the PCB revealed to PTI on Sunday that although the ICC has designated Pakistan as the host for the tournament, the formal hosting agreement is yet to be signed.
The source disclosed that PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf and COO Salman Naseer held discussions with the ICC executive board in Ahmedabad regarding hosting the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February-March 2025.
PCB asks ICC for compensation if India refuses to visit Pakistan due to political and security reasons
“Pakistani officials discussed the probability of the Indian board (BCCI) again refusing to send its team to Pakistan and made it clear that in any given situation the ICC must avoid taking unilateral decisions on the tournament,” the source said.
PCB officials informed the ICC that if India opts not to play in Pakistan due to security concerns, the global body should engage an independent security agency.
Additionally, the PCB suggested that the agency could collaborate with the Pakistani government and security authorities to evaluate the security situation for all participating teams, including India.
“The PCB officials said many top teams had toured Pakistan in the last two years without any security concerns.”
“They also made it clear that in case of India not sending its team and its matches being moved to another country, then the ICC must compensate Pakistan for this,” the source added.
The PCB officials emphasized that considering the relationship between the governments of Pakistan and India, there was a significant likelihood of India once again declining to play in Pakistan, citing security and political reasons.
It’s worth noting that India declined to participate in matches held in Pakistan during the Asia Cup in August-September this year. Instead, the Indian team played all its matches, including the final against Sri Lanka, in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan hosted only four matches of the Asia Cup as agreed with the Asian Cricket Council, led by BCCI secretary Jay Shah. Ashraf and Naseer made it clear at the ICC meeting that Pakistan won’t give up its hosting rights.
“The BCCI representative maintained that any call on India playing in Pakistan in 2025 would only be taken by their government and they were bound to follow the decision,” he said.
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