Pakistan lifts the ICC Champions Trophy after beating India in the finals in London on June 18, 2017.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Pakistan Cricket Board has earmarked Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi as venues for next year’s Champions Trophy, continuing to insist that the tournament will stay in the country despite speculation of a ‘hybrid model’ being under consideration to ensure India’s participation.

The Champions Trophy, which was last held in England in 2017, is expected to be held tentatively in February-March next year.

India have not yet confirmed participation and there is speculation that the ICC could use the ‘Hybrid Model’ and hold the country’s matches at a neutral venue if the team does not get government clearance to travel. The ICC has already made it clear that it will not ask any member nation to defy government policy.

“We’ve sent the schedule for the matches in Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said at a press conference in Lahore.

“The ICC’s security team came and we had a very good meeting. They looked at arrangements here and we’ll also share stadium upgrade plans with them.

“We are trying to ensure we host a very good tournament in Pakistan,” Naqvi informed.

The PCB has been steadfast in insisting that the tournament will not be altered in any way to accommodate India.

The ‘Hybrid Model’ of hosting was used in the Asia Cup last year. The Asian Cricket Council, headed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, held India’s matches in Sri Lanka even though Pakistan was the official host of the tournament.

Naqvi also conceded that condition of all three proposed venues is currently sub-standard in terms of hosting international games of cricket.

“If you look at Gaddafi (here), it is good but the viewing experience is not great for cricket. Football maybe, not cricket,” Naqvi said.

“We need to improve facilities in the stadiums, where there are some old problems. Karachi is in bad shape. So on May 7, we will finalise bids from international companies who will come and help us design.

“We are already late but we need to do these upgrades in four-five months. It will be a very tough test but we can do it.,” Naqvi concluded.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that the PCB would be open to the idea of playing with India in bilateral series if they send their team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy next year. Photo: X/@TheRealPCB 

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that the PCB would be open to the idea of playing with India in bilateral series if they send their team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy next year.

Talking to reporters in Lahore during a function, Naqvi was asked about the recent interview of Indian captain Rohit Sharma, in which he praised the Pakistan cricket team and said it would be “awesome” to play the neighbours from across the border in a Test series overseas.

“Look, if any options in this regard come we will consider it, but our target right now is to host the Champions Trophy and first let India come for the tournament,” he said.

“Right now till the CT there is no slot available as our team has a packed itinerary.” “Once they come here first then we can look at any proposal whenever it comes before us,” he added.

The two teams last played a bilateral limited overs series in 2012-13, when Pakistan visited India. But India has refused to play any Tests against Pakistan since 2007, when the two countries engaged in a rubber on Indian soil.

Last year India refused to send its team for the Asia Cup matches in Pakistan and eventually the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) had to adopt a hybrid model for the event which was split with a vast majority of the matches being organised in Sri Lanka.

Naqvi met with BCCI secretary Jay Shah during an ICC meeting in Dubai in February.

PCB is optimistic that it will be able to host Champions Trophy next year as a delegation of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to reach the country on Monday to inspect the ongoing preparations for the prestigious tournament.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is optimistic that it will be able to host Champions Trophy next year as a delegation of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to reach the country on March 25 to inspect the ongoing preparations for the prestigious tournament.

The delegation which will also include a security expert will visit all the proposed venues with particular emphasis on Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Pakistan is tasked with hosting an ICC event for the first time since it hosted a part of the 1996 World Cup with India.

“The delegation will be given briefings on the preparations. They will visit the venues in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi to see the upgradation work we will be carrying out for the Champions Trophy,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday.

Last month a delegation of New Zealand Cricket (NZC) had also visited Pakistan to inspect the security and other arrangements for their team’s tour to the country in mid-April for five T20 Internationals.

Naqvi reiterated that the Champions Trophy would be held on schedule in Pakistan.

Asked if Pakistan would consider a tit for tat response if the Indian government refused to send its team to Pakistan, Naqvi said “why are we even discussing such possibilities”.

“We had a good meeting in Dubai on the tournament and its technical side and as far as we are concerned we see no reason the event would not be held in Pakistan so why even discuss other scenarios,” he added.

India had refused to send its team for the Asia Cup last year in August which led to a number of matches being moved to Sri Lanka.