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The Indian Cricket Board's (BCCI) vice-president. Rajeev Shukla backed the government's decision to not send the senior men's squad to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy on Friday, saying that the players' safety will be the top priority. The announcement was made just hours before the board meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to finalize the 50-over tournament official schedule, which is provisionally set for February or March of next year.
"Our discussions are going on. A decision will be taken after looking at the situation. Our top priority is the safety of the players. Hybrid mode is also an option; discussions are going on," Rajeev Shukla said in New Delhi.
In a letter to the ICC, the BCCI informed that the Indian cricket team would not be visiting Pakistan which is the final decision of their government. The Pakistan Cricket Board even promised to allay India's security worries in exchange for an explanation. However, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has emphasized that Pakistan will not accept a hybrid concept that would let India play their matches at a neutral venue and that they would want to host the full event in their nation.
PCB chief's recent remarks
Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the PCB, reaffirmed the position on Wednesday and stated that the PCB was in continuous communication with the ICC. Even after Pakistan visited India for the ODI World Cup last year, Naqvi claimed that India's hesitation to travel to Pakistan is intolerable.
However, after Sri Lanka's A team, which was touring Pakistan, had to end its series early last week owing to violent political protests in Islamabad, worries about Pakistan's capacity to host the event grew. These demonstrations, which were started by the political party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, brought up significant security issues in the nation and demonstrated that Pakistan's capacity to host international cricket matches may be in jeopardy. An early sign of the increasing pressure on Pakistan's cricket administration came when the PCB was forced to postpone two 50-over matches between Sri Lanka A and Pakistan Shaheens.
On Friday, the ICC Board will convene virtually to make a decision regarding the Champions Trophy. According to India Today, the best result is a hybrid model. In order to persuade Pakistan to accept the hybrid format, in which India would play their matches in the United Arab Emirates, backchannel negotiations were underway. After India declined to cross the border, Pakistan consented to host the Asia Cup the previous year. Sri Lanka, which was chosen as the second venue, held nine matches, including the championship game, while Pakistan only hosted four.
Since the 2012–13 season, India and Pakistan have not engaged in bilateral cricket matches. Since the 2008 Asia Cup, India has not visited Pakistan for a cricket series. Nonetheless, the two sides have only faced off in Asian Cricket Council and ICC competitions.
