With around seven months to go for the upcoming season of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, to be held in Pakistan, it’s still not sure whether India is making a trip to the country to be involved in the tournament. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has issued a gag order for revealing insights into the title.
The Indian cricket team last visited Pakistan during the 2008 Asia Cup. Even though the latter made their return to the Indian team during the 2012 bilateral series or the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2016 and the ODI World Cup in 2023.
The instruction from the BCCI is that they haven’t made any plans for their tour to Pakistan, as they are only going to follow the instructions of the Indian Government, whose words will be final for their participation in the competition.
PCB chief to avoid unnecessary controversy on India’s engagement
The PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has instructed his office members not to issue any statements to the media or others regarding the involvement of the Indian cricket team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
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He has adopted a new policy, which is allowing the ICC to handle the matter while counting the preparations for the competition predicting, that India will attend it as the PTI news agency has reported the information.
“That is why in recent days no comments or statement is coming from either Naqvi or any other board official on what will happen if India doesn’t send its team to Pakistan.” The PCB insider commented.
It’s believed that Naqvi has aimed to take the directions for avoiding unnecessary controversy in the event. The PCB has already submitted the schedule and necessary documents, including all the security plans to the ICC. It has also been known that the schedule suggests that India is going to play all of their games, including the semifinal and final if qualified, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, so that they can have less travel in the country.
The new approach of the chairman is to keep the preparations ongoing without speculating publicly about the final decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“The PCB has sent the draft schedule and submitted all the other documents including, security plans for each team to the ICC now it is for the owners of the CT to convince India to send its team.” The insider noted.
The main focus of the PCB is to renovate the three venues for the event- the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the National Stadium in Karachi, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, ahead of the ICC venue inspection in September.
The new strategy of the chairman is also expected to keep the reactions of the Indian team behind closed doors, before finalizing it privately in co-ordination with the government.
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“It is clear Naqvi doesn’t want to show the PCB’s cards on what will be the reaction of the board if India again refuses to send its team but behind closed doors, after meetings with the government officials a strategy has been finalized.” Another source in Islamabad observed the ‘Times of India’.
Mohsin Naqvi, who is the federal minister of the interior has put his attention on not creating unnecessary controversies on social media platforms about the cricketing issue between the two countries. The final decision from the Indian team on their participation in the tournament is expected to come shortly.