DUBAI, Nov 22: The ICC is confident that teams will have no reservations travelling to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy despite over a decade-long scepticism about playing in that part of the world.
The ICC last week awarded the hosting rights of the 2025 Champions Trophy to Pakistan. It will mark the return of major cricketing event to Pakistan after more than two decades.
The last time Pakistan had an ICC event on its soil was when it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup along with India and Sri Lanka. It has not been able to host many international games in the country since the 2009 terrorist attack on Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore.
In September, New Zealand and England had pulled out of their bilateral tours to Pakistan due to security concerns.
ICC chair Greg Barclay insisted that the governing body wouldn’t have awarded the hosting rights to Pakistan if it wasn’t confident of the event going ahead successfully.
India’s participation in the tournament remains a doubt as no bilateral cricket has taken place between the two neighbours since 2012 due to diplomatic tensions after terror attacks in India.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur last week said a decision on India’s participation in the Champions Trophy will be taken when the time comes as there are still security issues for international teams to tour the neighbouring country.
Barclay acknowledged that it will be challenging issue to work through and hoped the cricket could bring improvement in the relations between the two neighbours. (PTI)
Two-year T20 WC cycle important for growth of cricket
The ICC on Monday asserted that a two-year T20 Word Cup cycle is important for the growth of the game as it is the format that is contested by all the members.
The global governing body last week announced the schedule of ICC events from 2024-2031 with a tournament slated to be played every year.
“We’ve got different events in different formats. I think the decision to play T20 World Cups every two years is a conscious one to try and position T20 as the growth format of the game across all of our members,” ICC CEO Geoff Allardice said.
Talking about the ICC Champions trophy which was last held in 2017 and will next be played in 2025, Allardice said the tournament is a “focal point” for ODI cricket midway the four-year World Cup cycle.
ICC encouraging Afghanistan to take inclusive approach
A Working Group was set up last week by the ICC to review the status of cricket in Afghanistan in the light of recent political developments in that country.
Barclay asserted that the body will continue to support Afghanistan as member of the ICC while encouraging them to continue to take an inclusive approach to cricket.
ICC on racism
With English cricket being rocked by allegations of racism, the ICC maintained that it doesn’t stand for discrimination of any kind. Former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq has alleged several former English internationals and the club of racism. (PTI)
