Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in danger of losing the hosting rights of the 2025 Champions Trophy after refusing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s demands of a hybrid model. Despite BCCI’s firm refusal to send its team to Pakistan owing to security concerns, the PCB has time and time again refused to accept there demands. While the ICC is trying its best to sort out the issue, both the PCB and BCCI have not been able to achieve common ground. During Friday’s inconclusive meeting, the ICC has warned the PCB to either accept the ‘Hybrid’ model of hosting for next year’s Champions Trophy or be prepared to be ousted from the event.
However, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has slammed the ICC and BCCI, who according to him are trying to rob the hosting rights from PCB. On reports of Pakistan set to be snubbed from the event, Basit feels that a tournament without India and Pakistan would not be feasible.
“Who won in the meeting — ICC, BCCI or PCB? And How could the meeting end so quickly? Ab pata chalega, Pakistan ko ek kaum bana diya hai BCCI ne (now they will get to know, the Indian board has united Pakistan)…Even those who were against the PCB, they are saying ‘Whatever (PCB chairman) Mohsin Naqvi says, we will stick to that,” Basit said on his YouTube channel.
“Yeh insaaf nahi hai, ke hamari Champions Trophy pe aap daaka daalne ki bharpoor koshish kar rahe hain (it’s not justified that they are trying to rob Pakistan of Champions Trophy hosting),” he added.
During Friday’s emergency meeting, which has now been adjourned, the the ICC board members were sympathetic towards Pakistan’s situation, but PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi was, nonetheless, advised to accept the ‘Hybrid’ model as the only “plausible solution” for the current imbroglio.
If a ‘Hybrid’ model is adopted, India’s share of Champions Trophy matches will be held in the UAE.
“Look, no broadcaster will give a penny to an ICC event which does not have India and even Pakistan knows that. The ICC meeting on Saturday will only happen if Mr Mohsin Naqvi agrees with the ‘Hybrid Model’,” an ICC Board source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
(With PTI Inputs)
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