NEW DELHI: In another attempt to sabotage an international cricketing event, team India might not participate in the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled for next year in Pakistan, sources within the BCCI told IANS on Tuesday.
Sources told the Indian news agency that the venue for the Champions Trophy will likely get relocated or a hybrid model might be considered. Since the 1996 World Cup, Pakistan is set to host an international cricket event for the first time and the major venues across the country are being upgraded.
Additionally, the likelihood of a bilateral series with Pakistan shortly appears slim after the England Cricket Board (ECB) offered venues for the Pakisatan-Indai Test Series.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday reportedly stated that they would consider the possibility of a bilateral series with India if India agreed to send their team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
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However, sources in the BCCI said, “Forget bilateral series…Team India may not even travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. There might be a change of venues or a hybrid model is also possible.”
“The Indian board would need permission from the government for travel, currently our relations with Pakistan are not that good either,” sources told IANS.
India and Pakistan last played a bilateral series in 2012-13, when Pakistan visited India for an ODI and T20I series.
Last year, Pakistan faced a setback after the Indian government refused to send an Indian team to participate in the Asia Cup, earlier scheduled for Pakistan. Eventually, the Asia Cup shifted to a hybrid model with major matches being organized in Sri Lanka.
