Citing considerations over “territorial integrity and political interference in sports activities”, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah on Friday launched a pointy assault on Pakistan Cricket Board’s announcement to conduct the Champions Trophy tour in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) areas, say experiences.
The Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC), the game’s governing physique, has decided to cancel the planned trophy tour of the Champions Trophy 2025 in Skardu, Murree, and Muzaffarabad – areas that fall inside PoK.
“BCCI secretary Jay Shah strongly condemns the Pakistan Cricket Board’s announcement to conduct the Champions Trophy tour in PoK, reiterating India’s objection to the transfer,” information company ANI reported citing unnamed sources.
“Jay Shah has raised the matter with the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC), urging the physique to take acceptable motion in gentle of the BCCI’s considerations over territorial integrity and political interference in sports activities,” the information company added.
The ICC knowledgeable the PCB final week that India wouldn’t tour Pakistan for the eight-team match, leaving the destiny of the occasion hanging within the stability.
Pakistan had beforehand rejected the choice of a hybrid association that will enable India to play their matches at impartial venues, for instance within the United Arab Emirates.
Deteriorating political ties have meant the arch rivals haven’t performed a bilateral cricket collection for over a decade — squaring off solely in ICC multi-nation occasions. India final toured Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2008.
Pakistan visited India for final yr’s ODI World Cup and the PCB had anticipated the gesture to be reciprocated for the Champions Trophy.
Any cricket match between the 2 Asian cricketing giants is among the many most watched occasions on the worldwide sporting calendar.
The Champions Trophy is slated to be performed throughout three venues — Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi — from February 19 to March 9 subsequent yr.
The earlier version was held in England and Wales in 2017, with Pakistan defeating arch-rivals India within the remaining on the Oval.