Picture Credit: X
After reports surfaced around the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) “verbally” communicating to the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) to travel back to India after every match during the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, a new report has further added that the Pakistan cricket board is “mentally prepared” of the Indian government refusing this proposal.
Earlier in the week, the PCB had put forward a unique proposal to confirm India’s successful participation in the marquee tournament. As per a report published by Cricbuzz, the PCB has written to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), suggesting that India should travel to India after each game if they do not wish to stay in Pakistan. The report added that PCB has written to the apex board in India “offering assistance should the Indian team prefer to return to India - either to Chandigarh or New Delhi - after each game to avoid staying in Pakistan due to security concerns.”
Pakistan “prepared” for India’s refusal to travel to Champions Trophy
According to recent reports making rounds, the PCB’s priority is to host the entire tournament in Pakistan. They also informed that the board is mentally prepared to hear Indian government’s response on the same. "The PCB's first choice and priority is to host entire Champions Trophy in Pakistan and they are counting on this but internally the Board is also mentally prepared to hear about the Indian government not allowing its team to play in Pakistan and India's matches being held in UAE," a PCB source said as quoted by NDTV Sports.
"But the PCB has decided even in the event of India not playing in Pakistan they want the final to be held in Lahore. Even if India qualifies for the final the PCB wants the ICC to hold the match at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore," the source further informed. It is to be noted that Indian and Pakistan hasn’t played matches since 2012-13.
The source claimed that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer will be submitting details of the costs the PCB is bearing to renovate and upgrade the stadiums in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore for the Champions Trophy. "They will submit the details including the highest budget of around 7 billion earmarked for renovation work at the stadium in Lahore," the source added.
