File photo of Rohit Sharma© BCCI/Sportzpics
A fresh Controversy has triggered ahead of the start of the ICC Champions Trophy, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) coming at loggerheads again. The BCCI, after refusing to send its team to Pakistan for Champions Trophy participation, managed to convert the tournament into a hybrid mode, with India playing their matches in Dubai. Now, the Indian board has barred captain Rohit Sharma from travelling to Pakistan for two curtain-raiser events – the captains’ press conference and the customary photoshoot.
As per a report in the Times of India, the BCCI has asked ICC to shift both pre-tournament events to Dubai so that skipper Rohit can be physically present to participate in the events. The move from the BCCI has understandably left the Pakistan board infuriated.
“ICC has already accommodated India’s request not to schedule its Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, so these are minor issues,” the paper quoted a source as saying.
Another issue that has been doing rounds in the internet is the BCCI’s reluctance to have ‘Pakistan’ written on Team India’s kits. While ICC’s rule states that the name of the hosting country has to be a part of the logo on the participating teams’ shirts, the Indian board wants an exception as the team would be playing its matches in Dubai.
“The BCCI is bringing politics into cricket, which is not at all good for the game. They refused to travel to Pakistan. They don’t want to send their captain (to Pakistan) for the opening ceremony. Now there are reports that they don’t want the host nation’s (Pakistan) name printed on their jerseys. We believe that the world governing body (ICC) will not let this happen and support Pakistan,” a PCB official told news agency IANS.
It has to be noted that Pakistan’s jersey during the 2021 T20 World Cup featured India’s name on it despite the fact that the tournament was held in UAE. If India refuse to have Pakistan a part of the Champions Trophy logo on their shirts, they would end up breaching ICC’s Code of Conduct.
The Champions Trophy is scheduled to kick-off on February 19.
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