"We are in touch with Jay Shah”- PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi makes a huge claim, says Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan

The Champions Trophy 2025 is set to be played in Pakistan in February-March.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi made a huge claim about the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and stated that the tournament will be held in Pakistan itself. This comes after BCCI secretary Jay Shah was unanimously chosen as the next ICC chairman.

Shah will take over the reins from Greg Barclay in December. Shah's nomination is a watershed moment in cricket governance, as he becomes the youngest person to hold this coveted position, following in the footsteps of renowned Indian predecessors like Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has declared that there are no reservations about Shah's appointment to the position.

"We are in touch with Jay Shah; there are no concerns about his becoming ICC Chairman. The ACC meeting is on September 8 and 9," Naqvi told reporters, as quoted from Geo News.

Naqvi also addressed the next Asian Cricket Council (ACC) conference, which will include discussions about the incoming ACC president. While Naqvi stated that he would not be attending the meeting, he announced that Salman Nasir would represent Pakistan in his place.

“I will not be able to attend the meeting, and Salman Nasir will attend. The meeting will finalize matters related to the new president,” the PCB chairman said.

As Jay Shah prepares to take over as ICC chairman on December 1, 2024, Pakistan's attention turns to hosting the ICC Champions Trophy the following year.

The nation is now undergoing substantial renovations at important sites such as Karachi National Stadium, Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium to ensure they are ready for the main event.

However, the big issue with the Champions Trophy will be whether the Indian team will travel to Pakistan or not. India has not traveled to Pakistan for any cricketing assignment since 2008. The Asia Cup 2023 which was to be hosted by Pakistan, was played in a hybrid model with Sri Lanka hosting India’s matches.

While reports are stating that India won’t be coming to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, with BCCI urging for a hybrid model once again, with UAE or Sri Lanka being options; the PCB chief was confident that the tournament will be played wholly in Pakistan itself.

Naqvi confirmed that the PCB has been in touch with the BCCI and said, “The Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan. We are in touch with the boards of the teams participating in the tournament.”

The Champions Trophy is set to be played in February-March 2025 in Pakistan.

(ANI inputs)