Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has warned BCCI about not sending the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. He stated that India will need to provide a "logical answer" to the ICC if they choose not to travel.
Pakistan was given the hosting rights for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 which is going to be played in February. However, the BCCI in October 2022, had stated that India would not travel to Pakistan for any cricket.
This led to Asia Cup 2023 being played in a hybrid model with Pakistan, the original hosts getting four matches and Sri Lanka hosting the rest of the matches including the final.
Speculations are rife that Team India may not take part in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, with discussions about potentially changing the venue or adopting a hybrid model.
However, Rashid Latif believes that refusing to participate in an ICC event can have negative consequences for the Men in Blue.
"You can refuse the bilateral series. But it will be tough to refuse ICC events. When ICC chalk out its plan, the teams know where they have to play, like Pakistan knew that they have to go to India to play the World Cup, and contracts are signed accordingly for cricket boards,” Latif said to IANS.
He further gave an example of Australia and West Indies refusing to play in Sri Lanka in the 1996 World Cup, which led to Sri Lanka virtually qualifying for the quarter-finals without playing a game and going onto win the trophy.
Latif also added that if India refuses to come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy tournament, it might backfire on the BCCI.
He further added, "It seems a bit tough to refuse ICC events... In the 1996 World Cup, Australia and West Indies refused to go to Sri Lanka and the entire group changed and Sri Lanka became the champion. This was a very big mistake... If India or Pakistan has signed in, they will have to go for that event. If any circumstances occur on a government level, then you have to provide a logical answer as to why not coming. You can refuse the bilateral series citing that the conditions in Pakistan are not right etc etc... In my opinion, refusing an ICC event can backfire."
The PCB has selected Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore as the tournament venues, with Lahore hosting the final match. And it has suggested the ICC to have all of India’s matches at one venue, possibly Lahore.
(IANS inputs)
