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Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria said that the Champions Trophy should be played in a hybrid model and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should not send Indian team to the neighbouring nation for the marquee event scheduled to take place next year. Pakistan are the current host of Champions Trophy 2025 and the BCCI has yet to take a call on weather to send the Men in Blue for the tournament.
In the exclusive conversation with Sports Tak, Kaneria said that Dubai would be the ideal place for Champions Trophy 2025. He said Pakistan are currently looking at the benefits they got from hosting rival team India for the marquee event.
Look 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 play in Dubai Champions Trophy because people know that this is a good thing. The media gets hype, everyone's videos get likes, and everyone's videos get liked, because the big manjan is good so it will sell. So I think this is a reality and it will definitely be a hybrid model. And BCCI will do whatever they have to advise" said Danish.
Earlier, Pakistan were the host of Asia Cup 2023 but BCCI decided that the Men in Blue would not travel to Pakistan citing security concerns later the tournament was played in a hybrid model where India played all of their matches in Sri Lanka. After that Pakistan travelled to India for the ODI World Cup 2023. India last travelled to Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup. Kaneria lavished praise on BCCI he said the Indian Cricket Board is doing a great job by making players' security their first priority.
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The safety of the players is the first priority. Exactly. The safety of the players is the first priority. Respect is the second priority. There are many things. I think the work of BCCI is doing a great job. I think it will accept the decision of other countries and accept their decision. I think it will be a hybrid model" said Kaneria in exclusive conversation with sports tak.
Kaneria also said that the condition in Pakistan is not good as there are security concerns for the teams who will visit for the Champions Trophy 2025. He added that PCB are just looking at the benefits of hosting the tournament without taking a look in grey area.
"The main issue is that money will come. That's why there is so much talk about Indian team coming, there will be sponsorships, media will grow, there will be a channel of Dhoom Dham, this will happen, that will happen, there will be a lot of things, money will come well, this will happen. But that's okay. But you see the other grey area which you are fixing right now. If you think positively, your mind that the situation is not good, security concerns are there, the rest of the team is coming but this is an Indian team. This is an Indian team. Now, we went to India, so the situation in India is far more better, the balance is there, everything is good, the world travels, tourists come from all over the world, so everything is great and the government is doing a fantastic job. So that's the thing, that's the reality" added Kaneria.
Pakistan who are consistently performed poorly after the T20 World Cup 2022 are currently hosting Bangladesh for the two-Test match series where they have already lost the first match and the second match will be played on August 30 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.
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