Despite concerns around security and India’s participation, the International Cricket Council remains confident the 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will be held as planned and scheduled in Pakistan.
Pakistan was confirmed as the host for the tournament that returns after an eight-year hiatus by the governing body as it announced the set of hosts and co-hosts for the events to be played in the next rights cycle spanning 2024-31.
The last time the country hosted any major ICC event was back in 1996 when it joined hands with India and Sri Lanka for the ODI World Cup in the subcontinent. Pakistan was also due to host the 2009 edition of the Champions Trophy and co-host the 2011 World Cup, but things changed drastically after the Lahore terrorist attack when a travelling Sri Lankan team bus was targeted.
It led to a prolonged hiatus for cricket in Pakistan, something that the country has only just begun to recover from. Since 2015, Pakistan has hosted multiple countries for white-ball assignments. The season in 2019-20 saw the resumption of Test cricket in the nation. This was a big win for the Pakistan Cricket Board that has done a remarkable job in boosting the security arrangements in the country.
Thus, even as the recent New Zealand and England pull-outs threatened to undo all of PCB’s progress in this front, the rescheduling of those tours as well as the security plans put in place, are keeping ICC “comfortable” about the idea of hosting a Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
“From what we can see, absolutely. There has been international cricket in Pakistan for a few years, all of it with the exception of what happened in the last few weeks,”
“We wouldn’t have awarded the event if we didn’t think Pakistan was capable of hosting it. We think it is an exciting opportunity for them to be able to host a world event for the first time in a long time.
I’m sure, as with all countries, they will put together appropriate security plans to deliver the event. We’re comfortable and confident it will go ahead.”
ICC chairman Greg Barclay was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
PCB chairman Ramiz Raja was also quite upbeat and optimistic that the Champions Trophy will stay in Pakistan, especially now that his regime has managed to secure tours from what Ramiz called the “Western Block”.
Pakistan is due to host the West Indies in December, but the truly historic events are the visits from Australia and England next year. While the Aussies will be coming for the first time since 1998, the English will reach the Pakistani shores after 2005-06.
Both the countries will be touring Pakistan for Tests and white-ball cricket series. This, after last year’s home series against South Africa and confirmation that New Zealand will also be touring Pakistan in 2022-23.
In securing and hopefully executing those series to perfection, PCB has a great opportunity to change the perceptions around Pakistan as a cricketing destination in the coming two years. The ICC is also expected to help Pakistan on this front.
But the Indian stance on the issue is still an important one. No Indian side has visited Pakistan since the 2008 edition of the Asia Cup. The two countries’ political connections have been broken since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The two neighbours have only met in multiple team events in this period, including the World Cups and the Asia Cups.
Recently, India’s sports minister Anurag Thakur expressed his apprehensions around India touring Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, taking note of New Zealand and England’s withdrawals.
“We know it’s a challenging issue. From my point of view, I can’t control geo-political forces. I just hope cricket can be a force to help improve relations between countries. One of the great things sports can do is to help bring nations together. If we can do something in a small way to contribute to that, that’s fantastic,”
Barclay said on the matter.
