The inaugural ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy could run into rough weather following uncertainty over the Indian team’s visit to Pakistan. The event is scheduled to take place a day or two prior to the tournament’s start on February 19.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had planned to make it a grand success, featuring all eight teams, in Lahore or Karachi. The PCB has also informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) accordingly and its “communique is neither country nor captain specific”, sources told The Telegraph.
However, it is unlikely that the BCCI will allow the Indian players to be part of the event, citing security concerns. Rohit Sharma’s presence in the captains’ meet and photo-op ahead of the tournament is also not guaranteed.
The 15-match tournament will be held in Pakistan but India will play all their matches at a neutral venue — Dubai in this instance — as part of a special hybrid arrangement till 2028.
It is the responsibility of the host nation to provide visas to all players, officials and commercial partners and the PCB has assured the ICC that it will fulfil its responsibility in this respect, sources maintained.
The Pakistan government had issued visas to three Indian nationals when they visited Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore last week as part of the ICC’s recce team.
“We haven’t got any such proposal. This hasn’t been part of our discussions with the ICC,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told The Telegraph in response to Rohit Sharma’s visit to Pakistan on Wednesday.
Sources though have confirmed that the BCCI is in no mood to relent to the PCB’s wishes and it will be communicated to the ICC internally.
The ICC has refused to comment pleading ignorance on the developments.
It is not clear if the ICC will go ahead with the inauguration and the captains’ meet in Pakistan if the Indians are not allowed to travel. The world body could then step in and reduce the launch to a low-key affair.
Chances of the whole event being shifted to Dubai are slim since the PCB is unwilling to budge to the ICC’s wishes, those in the know said.
“This is a very delicate situation and every step has to be taken after judging its repercussions. India have to find a compromise formula to solve the crisis since Pakistan will enjoy certain benefits by virtue of being the hosts,” said the source.
It will be interesting to see if ICC chair Jay Shah, son of Union home minister Amit Shah, is part of the inauguration. He will also have to visit Lahore for the final to give away the prizes if India fail to reach the title round.
If India don’t travel to Pakistan for the opening ceremony it will also serve as a precedent for future ICC events hosted by the two countries. India are scheduled to host the Women’s World Cup later this year and the Men’s T20 World Cup next year jointly with Sri Lanka. Pakistan has been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028.
The hybrid model for the Champions Trophy was agreed upon after several rounds of negotiations between the ICC and PCB following BCCI’s refusal to tour the neighbouring nation. Cricketing ties between thetwo countries have been impacted by their thorny political relationship.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and Rohit were part of the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Asia Cup squad which last toured Pakistan in 2008. Pakistan visited India for a limited overs series in 2012-13, the last time the two met in a non-ICC event.
The current hybrid model has its roots in the lead-up to the Asia Cup in September 2023. India stuck to its stand of not travelling to Pakistan while the PCB insisted they remain the sole hosts. Pakistan, however, relented closer to the start and India’s games were moved to Sri Lanka in a mutual agreement between the two boards.
Pakistan toured India a month later for the ICC ODI World Cup before failing to make the knockouts.