The PCB has reluctantly deferred the matter in the hands of the ICC to persuade the BCCI to send its team to Pakistan for the next champions trophy.
It has been reported that the PCB has refrained from approaching the Indian cricket board directly to get its team to play in Pakistan and instead plans to let the ICC persuade the BCCI for the same ahead of the Champions Trophy, which is to be held in the first quarter of next year.
Indeed, in an interview with a PCB source, he revealed that though the Champions Trophy’s budget was approved at the latest ICC meetings in Colombo, the rest of the schedule for the series and the format failed to.
The PCB now has done what was required of it as hosts of the Champions Trophy. It has submitted the draft schedule and format for it, and it has provided budget for it as well,” a PCB source said.
“It is now in the ICC’s hands how soon they circulate, discuss, and finalize the A dates of the Champions Trophy. In the PCB’s version of the proposed schedule for the Indian team, it has proposed to host all of India’s games in Lahore, including a semi-final if India qualifies for that position and the final,” he added.
The third source added that the PCB has filled all necessary data in the expression of interest document as the hosts of the Champions Trophy according to the ICC regulation.
”The PCB, on its part, has furnished in writing to the ICC with regard to the tax systems, the venues, and clearance by the Pakistani government for the Indian team to be hosted in Pakistan for the event,” he further said.
The PCB had formally applied for hosting the event through its expression of interest in 2021, when Ehsan Mani was the PCB Chairman.
