Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has expressed optimism about the upcoming Champions Trophy, despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding India’s participation. Speaking to the media at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Monday, Naqvi confirmed that the PCB has yet to receive any official communication from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) stance on traveling to Pakistan for the tournament.
The PCB had formally requested clarity from the ICC last week, asking for information about India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan. Naqvi stated that the PCB is awaiting both a written response from the BCCI and an official confirmation of when the BCCI communicated its position to the ICC. However, despite the lack of updates, Naqvi remained upbeat, saying, “Even now I still have positive expectations about the Champions Trophy.”
The tournament, set to be held in February 2025, would mark the first time Pakistan has hosted an ICC event since 1996. Naqvi emphasized that all other teams qualified for the Champions Trophy are ready to participate, and he urged India to discuss any concerns directly with the PCB. “If India has any concerns, speak to us about them, we can ease those concerns. I don’t think there is any reason for them not to visit,” Naqvi stated.
In response to questions about the possibility of a hybrid model, where matches involving India could be held at a neutral venue, Naqvi reiterated the PCB’s firm stance against such an arrangement. “We are not going to use a hybrid model for the tournament,” he asserted, adding that the PCB would not alter its position on this matter.
The PCB has also been navigating issues surrounding the Champions Trophy’s trophy tour. The original route included a visit to Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, but this was revised after objections from the BCCI. Naqvi confirmed that the altered route is still in place and that no official cancellation has been communicated.
As the ICC’s decision-making process continues, Naqvi remains hopeful that the event will proceed as planned, with Pakistan hosting the prestigious tournament on its home soil for the first time in nearly three decades.
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