Former Pakistani cricketers Javed Miandad, Inzamam Ul Haq, and Rashid Latif heavily criticized BCCI’s decision not to send an Indian team to Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The BCCI wrote to the ICC stating that the Indian government has not permitted them to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the ICC tournament and requesting that the ICC host India’s matches at a neutral venue.
PCB official Mohsin Naqvi revealed on Sunday that the ICC had written to them that India wouldn't come to Pakistan to play. However, PCB has also stated that if India doesn’t come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, they won’t play against India in any of the future ICC events.
Legendary Pakistani cricketer Javed Miandad has numerous times spoken against India and this time as well, he has called for boycotting playing India. This stems from the belief that India v Pakistan matches in the ICC tournament result in huge numbers for the organization and help generate massive revenue.
Miandad, however, reckons Pakistan is better off without playing India, indirectly implying that if the reigning T20 World Champions decide not to come, the CT should go on as planned.
"It is a joke that this is happening. Even if we don't play India at all, Pakistan cricket will not only survive but prosper as well as we have shown in the past. I would like to see how the ICC events earn money when there are no Pakistan and India matches," Miandad was quoted as saying by PTI.
This leaves ICC with the only option of hosting the tournament in a hybrid model with UAE as the front-runner to host India matches. India is still concerned even though several Test teams, including Australia, New Zealand, and England, have visited Pakistan and participated in full-fledged Test series.
The first major ICC series to be held in Pakistan since cricket was outlawed entirely after the 2009 attacks is the Champions Trophy in February.
According to Inzamam Ul Haq, Pakistan's moment in the sun shouldn't be hampered by India's stubbornness. Since the 2008 Asia Cup, India has not traveled to Pakistan to play cricket, and it seems unlikely that this time around will be any different.
"They are depriving cricket of such a big occasion. There is no threat to the Indian team in Pakistan. In fact, they would get the best hospitality here," said Inzamam.
Rashid Latif, another former Pakistan captain, called India's stance unacceptable.
"Enough is enough. When all teams are playing in Pakistan without any problem, this decision by India is purely political, and that should be unacceptable in all sports, including cricket," he said.
It remains to be seen what changes to the schedule will be made by the ICC keeping in mind this new obstacle.
