In a light-hearted social media post, Iceland Cricket humorously expressed their desire to host the 2025 Champions Trophy amid speculations about Pakistan potentially losing the hosting rights. This speculation stems from India's reluctance to travel to Pakistan due to longstanding political tensions. With India and Pakistan not having engaged in a bilateral series for about a decade, there have been talks of possibly shifting the tournament to Dubai.
Iceland Cricket's post creatively played on the challenges of their local climate and the lack of standard cricket facilities in Iceland. Their amusing proposal to host the prestigious tournament was shared on social media, accompanied by a statement, "We are not people who hold back. We have today issued our bid to host the Champions Trophy of 2025, and we look forward to hearing what Greg Barclay of ICC has to say about it."
Furthermore, Iceland Cricket recently targeted Pakistan's star batsman Babar Azam, who stepped down as the team captain across all formats. This move followed Pakistan's disappointing performance in the Cricket World Cup 2023, where they failed to reach the semi-finals. Babar's personal performance was also underwhelming, with him scoring 320 runs in nine matches, averaging below 40.
Iceland Cricket took a jocular jab at Babar's batting average in response to a social media post. When asked, "What is something that still hasn't gone back to normal after the pandemic?", they quipped, "The batting average of Babar Azam."
Babar's leadership was scrutinized especially after Pakistan's surprising loss to Afghanistan during the World Cup. Pakistan concluded the tournament in fifth place in the points table, having lost five out of their nine matches.
In the wake of these events, team director Mickey Arthur and head coach Grant Bradburn were relieved of their duties. Former skipper Mohammad Hafeez has since assumed both roles.
Iceland Cricket's playful approach to these developments in the cricketing world showcases their unique brand of humor, even as they engage with the ongoing conversations and shifts in the global cricket landscape.
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