 "PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi once again stressed that Pakistan will be hosting the entire Champions Trophy 2025. Image: PCB")
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi reiterated on Monday that the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will be held completely inside Pakistan and rejected any possibility of accepting the Hybrid Model. Naqvi added that if India have any issues then they should approach the PCB which can help them remove any concerns. “At this moment, every team that has qualified for the Champions Trophy is ready to come. Nobody has any issues. I will say today also, if India has any concerns, speak to us about them, we can ease those concerns. I don’t think there is any reason for them not to visit,” Naqvi said on Monday after inspecting the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
When asked if Pakistan will boycott the tournament in case they lose the hosting rights, PCB chief Naqvi said: “Pakistan’s pride and respect is our priority.”
PCB waiting for BCCI’s response
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to send Team India to the Champions Trophy due to security issues. India’s denial, however, has put things in limbo as an ICC tournament without BCCI’s involvement is seen as impossible but Pakistan is not ready to accept a Hybrid Model which it followed during the 2023 Asia Cup.
PCB has asked for a written response from BCCI on why they do not want to visit Pakistan. Naqvi on Monday revealed that ICC or BCCI are still to reply to PCB’s questionnaires.
“We have sent them [ICC] the questions we had,” Naqvi said. “We are still waiting for their response. I believe that sports and politics are separate and no country should mix the two. Even now I still have positive expectations about the Champions Trophy.”
PCB slams ICC for making changes to trophy tour
The PCB head was also questioned about the altered Champions Trophy tour in Pakistan which did not include Skardu, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad, cities that fall in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, after BCCI’s objections . Naqvi attacked the ICC for pressuring PCB into changing their trophy tour.
“My feeling is that the ICC will have to think about its credibility, that are they an organisation for all the world’s bodies,” Naqvi said. “And that route has been rescheduled, we haven’t been told about any cancellation.”