Shoaib Akhtar, former Pakistan cricketer, has blamed the BJP government in India for trying to keep Virat Kohli and the Men in Blue from coming to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
After conferring with the Indian government, the BCCI recently decided against sending Team India to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. Pakistan has responded by rejecting the hybrid plan, which calls for India to play its matches outside of Pakistan. Regarding the BCCI’s position, the PCB wrote to the ICC.
Shoaib Akhtar stressed in a local interview that the Indian government, not the BCCI, is ultimately responsible for the resolution. There will be backchannel discussions, Akhtar added, and Pakistan shouldn’t give up. According to him, India provides the ICC with the majority of its sponsorship.
“It’s really up to the governments. It’s nothing to do with the BCCI. It is up to the BJP government. They will decide. There will be back-channel talks. Even in days of war, there are back-channel talks. We should not lose hope. We have to look forward to a solution and we know a fact that 95-98 percent of sponsorship for ICC comes from India,” Akhtar said.
$100M loss #championstrophy2025 khabardar says shoaib Akhtar #ptvsportsofficial pic.twitter.com/AO0X08Zzew
— iffi Raza (@Rizzvi73) November 18, 2024
Pakistan wants to see Virat Kohli play here: Shoaib Akhtar
Pakistan would lose up to $100 million in sponsorship if India doesn’t go on tour for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Shoaib Akhtar pointed out.
“If Pakistan fails to convince India to come to Pakistan, then two things will happen: Pakistan will lose about 100 million dollars of the sponsorship that will go to ICC and the host country will earn. Second, it would be better if India come and play in Pakistan. But it’s really, really up to the government. It has nothing to do with BCCI,” Akhtar said in the same interview.
Additionally, he stated that the whole country is anticipating Virat Kohli’s debut appearance in Pakistan and that he is excited to play there.
“Virat Kohli is trying to play in Pakistan for the first time. The entire Pakistan wants to see Virat play in Pakistan. Imagine him scoring a century in Pakistan. It will be good; he doesn’t score a century here and gets out early and it will be a full circle for him,” he added.
The previous time India went to Pakistan for the Asia Cup was in 2008. Since 2012–13, when Pakistan traveled to India for an ODI and T20I series, the two teams have not played a bilateral series. India and Pakistan have competed against one another in Asia Cups and ICC competitions; their most recent matchup took place at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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