Pakistan Government’s firm stand on Champions Trophy, PCB report says…

The impasse over the ICC Champions Trophy model continues after the Pakistani government reportedly asked the board not to move any games outside the country. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) about the Indian government’s decision not to send its team across the border. However, Pakistan also remains determined to prevent any match from leaving the country by winning the rights to organize the entire tournament at home.

The PCB has sought assistance from the Pakistani government on this issue. Report to Indian Express now claims that the Pakistani government has refused to allow a single game to be exported outside the country.

“Our government has advised us not to take any games out of Pakistan and that will be our position when the time comes. Right now the ICC has just informed us about India’s decision. We have the rights to host the Champions Trophy tournament. therefore, we cannot move the games outside Pakistan,” a PCB official told the newspaper on condition of anonymity.

Former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali also confirmed the same during a video on his YouTube channel, saying that the country’s government has banned the PCB from adopting the hybrid model.

With Pakistan keen to host the entire event at home and India unwilling to cross the border due to security concerns, the fate of the Champions Trophy hangs in the balance.

Earlier, a report had claimed that the tournament could also be moved to South Africa if the PCB and BCCI do not find common ground. If this happens, Pakistan is unlikely to attend the event.

Some proposals also indicate that the tournament could be held without the participation of either of the two teams, but such a compromise would have a huge financial impact on the ICC and its revenues.

Cricket games between India and Pakistan not only generate money for the boards of the two teams, but also provide the ICC, and other teams in the process, with a healthy revenue system.