Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh reinforced his agreement by saying he did not “expect” that the Indian team would go to Pakistan for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy. The future of next year’s ICC Champions Trophy would remain as a shroud behind which India has maintained its firm hold on not sending the men’s cricket team to Pakistan. On the other hand, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is adamant not to switch to a hybrid model and wants the whole tournament to be hosted in Pakistan.
Harbhajan again backed India’s stance of not sending the team to Pakistan for the marquee event and told ANI, “I have said this before. I don’t think Team India is going to travel to Pakistan.”
“I don’t think the situation is suited to go there and play. People in Pakistan love cricket, and the Indian team. But considering the situation, I don’t think Team India will travel. Governments are involved, and they are making the decisions,” Harbhajan added.
Last Friday, the MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said citing BCCI’s statement that due to “security concerns”, it sounded most improbable that Indian men will cross the border for playing the marque event in Pakistan. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said so on Friday through its spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal.
“The BCCI has issued a statement. They have said that there are security concerns there, and therefore, it is unlikely that the team will be going there,” Randhir Jaiswal said.
The International Cricket Council convened on the very same occasion, in order to convene an arresting meeting with regards to the tournament and future developments surrounding it. Several update reports and reviews then started to surface concerning the future of the tournament as broken up by the following.
In the latest turn of events, sources told Geo News on Sunday a new formula has been devised by which India would play all their ICC fixtures that are supposed to be played in Pakistan in Dubai.
Additionally, Pakistan will also play its matches in Dubai which have been scheduled to be conducted in India. According to Geo News, this formula will apply for the next three years, from the Champions Trophy 2025.
