Newly appointed ODI and T20I captain of Pakistan Mohammad Rizwan spoke to the media regarding the ongoing deadlock over the venue for the ICC Champions Trophy. The Indian cricket team is finding it quite hard to visit Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy, so BCCI is considering other options. Whereas PCB and all other stakeholders at different levels are trying hard to keep the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, nothing that might suggest signs of loosening this deadlock has come up.
Rizwan recently took over as captain after Babar Azam invited the Indian team, expressing hope that the Champions Trophy would be played in Pakistan. “The fans here love the Indian cricketers, and they would go all out if the Indian team played in Pakistan. If they come, we’ll warmly welcome them,” he said.
There is no surety as to India’s participation in the mega event. As a result of terrorism-related troubled relations, no Indian cricket tours have occurred in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup. The two neighbors last played a bilateral series between December 2012 and January 2013. They have, though, competed in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup. In contrast, Pakistan has toured India thrice since the 2008 Asia Cup.
Recent media reports indicate that the ICC has three options regarding the Champions Trophy. These range from holding the Trophy in Pakistan to a hybrid model where some matches would be held in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates to having the whole Trophy outside Pakistan, for which Dubai, Sri Lanka, or South Africa could be considered.
