For some time now, there has been quiet around this topic but to say that anyone has forgotten would be entirely wrong. It’s like the leftover food you stored to have later. Clings to your mind but you wait for the right time to devour it. However, a little peek into your refrigerator to see if it’s still there hurts no one. And these little peeks are what the cricket world wants regarding the question of India coming to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. For some, this is the calm that anticipates a storm. For the others, the silence is India’s tacit consent.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman said that he is from the latter group. When asked if he has some news about India’s decision, Mohsin Naqvi said that he is ‘confident’ that India will come to Pakistan for the mega-event.
“The Indian team should come. I don’t see them cancel or postpone coming here and we are confident we will host all the teams in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan,” Naqvi responded.
“The stadiums will also be ready to host the matches on schedule and any remaining work would be completed after the tournament. In a way, you can say that we are going to have a brand new stadium.”
PCB has drafted the Champions Trophy to be played from February 19th to March 9 in Multan, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi. If India do come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, all of their matches will be played in Lahore including the semi-final and final (should they make it that far). PCB recently urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to confirm the schedule so that the Board can finalize the logistics.
However, India have maintained the same stance since the start that they need government approval to travel to Pakistan. Recently, when the media asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) vice-president, Rajiv Shukla, regarding the Board’s decision, he said,
“Our team will travel only if the Government of India grants us permission. We will follow the government’s decision on this matter,”
Pakistan and India’s strained relations have affected cricket between both countries greatly. The last time both teams played bilaterally was nearly a decade ago when Pakistan visited India for a white-ball tour in December 2012 and January 2013. Since then, both Asian teams have only met during multi-national events. PCB’s Chairman and the recently appointed ICC Chief, Jay Shah, who is also the honorary secretary of BCCI are expected to meet in UAE this month during the final of the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup. In addition to that, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which is slated to be hosted by Pakistan next week, will see Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, meeting India’s Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The meeting could bring good tidings and a final solution to the questions about India’s participation. When asked about the possible meeting between both ministers, Naqvi said,
“He is coming but I don’t think the details of his meetings have been set.”
In the event that India refuse to travel to Pakistan, Sri Lanka will replace them in the eight-team tournament.
