Ahead of ICC security team visit, BCCI says Indian team won’t play in Pakistan

BCCI decides not to send Indian team to Pakistan for ICC Champions Trophy, preferring a hybrid model in UAE.

Days ahead of a visit to Pakistan by the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) security team, to study the situation for the Champion’s Trophy next year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially communicated that it will not send the Indian team to Pakistan for the tournament.

The decision comes despite several attempts by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), including during the recent visit of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Islamabad, to convince the government to change its mind, including offering any special security arrangements required and choice of venue.

“We have officially informed the ICC about our inability to participate in games in Pakistan. We have made our stance clear that we will prefer a hybrid model, with the tournament split in two countries.” a BCCI insider told The Hindu. “We were asked to clear our stand and we have done it, in consultation with the (central) government.”

A hybrid model, that had been followed for other series in the past would mean India’s group and the Finals of the tournament due to be held in February-March 2025 would be organised in the UAE, a proposal that could see stiff opposition from Pakistan, sources said.

On Friday, the Pakistan Cricket Board chief and Pakistan’s Home Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi had dismissed Indian media reports that the BCCI had written about its decision to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Speaking to journalists at Lahore’s Gaddafi stadium Mr. Naqvi said that no country had discussed the “hybrid model” with them nor was Pakistan “willing to talk about it”. “We have been showing good gestures for the last few years and no one should expect us to do it all the time,” Mr. Naqvi said, adding that the Shahbaz Sharif government would take the final decision on how to proceed if such a proposal was given.

The Ministry of External Affairs had denied that Mr. Jaishankar had any “conversation” about resuming cricketing ties in Pakistan when he met Mr. Naqvi at a dinner during his visit to Islamabad for the SCO Heads of Government Meeting on October 15-16. However, at least two officials confirmed that the PCB had presented Pakistan’s case for India to travel with the Indian delegation there. According to the sources, Pakistan was prepared to let the Indian team spend only as much time in Pakistan as was required for the matches or practice, and would facilitate their return to India by air or by road over the border to Amritsar.

“This would mean that any time, they could return to India within 20 minutes”, an official said, referring to the drive from Lahore to the Wagah-Attari border.