With T20 World Cup already wrapped, the next big event on ICC’s calendar is next year’s Champions Trophy to held in Pakistan. Ahead of the event, numerous reports had started emerging that the men in blue may not travel to Pakistan for the marquee event owing to security concerns and instead 2025 Champions Trophy may be held in a hybrid model. While BCCI has not cleared its stance on going to Pakistan yet, a former cricketer from the neighbouring nation has now urged the Indian team to not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
Former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria in an interaction with Sports Tak stated that Indian team should not travel to Pakistan due to the ongoing situation in the country and the tournament will likely be held in hybrid model with India’s matches being played in Dubai.
“Looking at the situation in Pakistan, I have to say that the Indian team should not go to Pakistan and Pakistan should think about it and then the ICC will make its decision and most likely, it will be a hybrid model, it will played in Dubai,” Kaneria told Sports Tak.
ICC Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan between February and March. However, due to the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian cricket team has not played in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup.
Kaneria while noting that BCCI is doing a great job said, “The safety of the players is the first priority. Respect is the second priority. There are many things. I think BCCI is doing a great job. I think all the countries will accept the final decision. I think it will be a hybrid model,” Kaneria added.
Meanwhile, there have been calls within Pakistan, from the cricket board and former players, urging the BCCI to send the national team to Pakistan given the craze of cricket and Indian stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the country.
Recently, former Pakistani wicketkeeper batter Kamran Akmal had urged that India should travel to Pakistan and put the political matters aside. He told Times of India, “I really enjoyed those times. India should travel to Pakistan, and Pakistan should go to India. Let’s keep the political matters aside and play and love cricket,” Akmal was quoted as saying by the Times of India,” he told TOI.
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