ECB's top officials say holding Champions Trophy in Pakistan without India not viable: 'Not in cricket's interests'

England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) top officials, including chairman Richard Thompson, are of the opinion that it wouldn’t be viable for the ICC Champions Trophy to be conducted in Pakistan next year without India. India have not travelled to Pakistan for cricket commitments since 2008 owing to political tensions between the two countries.

Apart from a limited-overs series between Pakistan and India in India in 2012, the two teams have recently faced off only in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups. Pakistan are scheduled to host the 2025 Champions Trophy early next year.

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla had recently said that the final call on if India will travel to Pakistan for the eight-team tournament will be taken by the Indian government. However, with the government unlikely to give the BCCI permission to send the team to Lahore, the Champions Trophy in a hybrid model seems the most likely option. Like the Asia Cup last year, India can play their matches in a different country while the other games can be staged in Pakistan. The tournament will be held in February-March.

‘Not in cricket’s interests’

”It would not be in cricket’s interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy,” Thompson, who is in Pakistan alongside ECB CEO Richard Gould, was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

The decision on India’s travel to Champions Trophy could be taken before current BCCI secretary Jay Shah takes charge of the International Cricket Council in December. Shah was elected as ICC chairman in August.

”It’s interesting, with Jay Shah – the former secretary of the BCCI and now chair of the ICC – (who) is going to have a big role to play in that. There’s geopolitics, and then there’s cricketing geopolitics. I think they’ll find a way. They have to find a way,” said Thompson.

Also read | 2025 Champions Trophy could be hosted entirely out of Pakistan as ICC explores options

ECB CEO Gould added: ”If you play the Champions Trophy without India, or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them.

”They (Pakistan) are the host nation. We’ve seen the developments going on, and we’re all waiting to understand whether India are going to travel. That’s the key.

‘Contingencies available’

”We think there are some discussions and relationships where they need to be. I know Pakistan are expecting India to travel. There are lots of different alternatives and contingencies available if that doesn’t happen.” India and Pakistan play each other in multi team events like the World Cup and Asia Cup.

”There are always security concerns in this part of the world when those two countries play each other. That will probably drive the key decisions. But I know relationships between the two countries are as amicable as they can be at the moment: we saw it play out at the (men’s T20) World Cup in New York,” added Thompson.

Though top teams have visited Pakistan recently, the country last hosted an ICC event in 1996, when it co-hosted the ODI World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

Thompson expects a decision on India’s participation in the tournament would be taken in the eleventh hour.

”That’s between India and Pakistan, and I think they will find a way where India will participate in the Champions Trophy… These things tend to go to the wire, as history has shown us, so I think that in those [last] six months, they’ll find a way,” he said.

The event will feature eight teams including Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.

With inputs from PTI