Islamabad, April 24: After June 1983, cricket has grown by leaps and bounds in India. Today India is the biggest player as far as revenue potentials and market size are concerned. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the most powerful cricket board in the world..
The BCCI's dominance in cricketing world at times has been directly or indirectly irked some other cricket boards. In the last two decades, Indo-Pak cricketing ties have been tensed.
Last year, Asia Cup was held in hybrid model as Team India refused to tour Pakistan, considering the bilateral tension between the two neighbouring countries. India played all its matches in Sri Lanka and ultimately lifted the trophy as well.
After the Asia Cup, Pakistan had to play its ODI World Cup matches in India. Though the players of the neighbouring nation (Pakistan) had praised the fan support and warm hospitality in India during the ODI World Cup 2023, but it was India's stature in cricketing world which grew taller.
India although had to be satisfied with the runners-up position with Australia stunning them in the one-sided final in Ahmedabad, but as a host nation India once again won accolades for successful organisation of the ODI World Cup 2023.
With murmurs of India refusing to tour Pakistan for the next year's Champions Trophy, as the host country Pakistan, is bound to suffer from revenue point of view.
No host nation would ever wish to miss India's participation in an ICC World Cup or multi-nation tournament. The Pakistan Cricket Board is therefore bound to be worried about India not playing Champions Trophy 2025 in their country.
As per reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board would look into options to respond to the BCCI -- Board of Control of Cricket in India -- if it officially refuses to send its team to Pakistan to play the ICC Champions Trophy, said a source in the PCB responding to a question about the recent report that neighbours might not travel to the country for the next year’s tournament.
“PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said it already that Pakistan is open to play a bilateral series with India at a neutral venue only if India agrees to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan next year,” the PCB source told IANS.
“There is a clear and glaring contrast between the statement of Rohit Sharma and a corresponding BCCI source-based story. It clearly shows that if it's about cricket, the players are willing and have no problem in playing each other at home grounds. But it's the political leadership of India that always creates nuisance and blocks the way every time."
They further reminded that Pakistan sent its team to India for the World Cup, highlighting Islamabad’s readiness to face the challenges and work towards revival of Indo-Pak cricket.
Pakistan is gearing up to host its first International cricket event since the 1996 World Cup. The Champions Trophy is an ICC (International Cricket Council) event and India expected refusal to send its team to Pakistan would not be an easy call to make.
However, the time and build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy may be used to discuss a hybrid model in which India-Pakistan matches may be shifted to neutral venues like Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
On Tuesday, sources in the BCCI told IANS that Team India may not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy next year, and the venue for the event will likely get shifted or a hybrid model used.
They also added that a bilateral series with the neighbours is “unlikely” in the near future.
India and Pakistan last played a bilateral limited-overs series in 2012-13, when Pakistan visited India.
Will India skip Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan? If India refuse to go to Pakistan, then will the ICC event would be hosted in hybrid model like Asia Cup 2023?
These issues are likely to bother not only the PCB, the ICC or the BCCI, but the cricket world as a whole. Reason is simple, any ICC World Cup or multi-nation tournament like Champions anywhere in the world, without India is bound to bother the host nation. (With IANS support)
