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Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta expressed that if he were in the position of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), he would decline to host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 due to the ongoing controversies.
However, he noted that this would not be a practical option for Pakistan.
The upcoming ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February-March window in 2025, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain.
Previously, reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), that Team India will not be visiting Pakistan for the tournament citing security concerns.
However, on Sunday, sources confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the Indian government is not ready to allow their cricket team to travel to Pakistan.
In response, the PCB has been considering different options at the moment, with a possibility of them opting out of the tournament completely in case of a hybrid model, sources reported.
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Vikrant Gupta spoke to ARY News on Monday, explaining that discussions about India’s potential refusal to participate began months ago.
He mentioned that the purpose of revealing this information through the media was to mentally prepare Pakistan for the possibility that India would not visit the country for the Champions Trophy.
Gupta explained that India signed a Member Participation Agreement, which board members usually sign, while Pakistan signed both the Participation Agreement and the Hosting Agreement.
He emphasized that the PCB cannot give up hosting rights only because India is not ready to visit Pakistan.
“The Indian government cited security concerns for its top players. Whether that’s a valid concern or not, I don’t know. But if Pakistan doesn’t host the Champions Trophy 2025, what reason will it give? Pakistan cannot simply say it’s because India refused to come,” Gupta stated.
He further said that Pakistan will need to present a reason that is internationally acceptable, or else it could face penalties.
READ: Mohammad Hafeez calls out India over refusal to tour Pakistan for Champions Trophy
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