File photo of BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla on Monday (September 30, 2024) said the Indian government will take a final call on whether the national cricket team will travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next year.

Pakistan are scheduled to host the prestigious ICC ODI tournament from February 19 to March 9.

“No decision has been taken (yet). But our policy is that for international tours, we always seek the permission of the government. It’s up to the government to decide whether our team should go to any country or our team should not go to any country,” Shukla told reporters in Kanpur.

“In this case (also), whatever the government will decide, we will abide by that,” he added.

Shukla was talking to the media on the sidelines of the ongoing second Test between India and Bangladesh here.

India and Pakistan only play each other in ICC events. India have not travelled to Pakistan for bilateral cricket since 2008 due to the Mumbai terror attacks in which over 150 people were killed.

Pakistan were in India for the ODI World Cup last year after a gap of seven years.

Top officials of ICC’s Events and Security Departments and the General Manager Cricket and Production Manager are part of the delegation. File.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

A five-member delegation of the International Cricket Council (ICC) will land in Karachi on Tuesday (September 17, 2024) for an inspection visit for next year’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Top officials of ICC’s Events and Security Departments and the General Manager Cricket and Production Manager are part of the delegation.

Andy Atkinson, the ICC Pitch Consultant, had also visited Pakistan on three different occasions since April.

According to details, the ICC delegation would discuss the tentative schedule of the tournament which was prepared and sent by the Pakistan Cricket Board to them some months back.

“The tentative schedule is important because it involves the Indian team being based in Lahore and playing all their matches in the city,” a well-informed source said.

The source said a scenario where the Indian government does not allow the Indian travel to Pakistan will also be discussed.

The delegation would inspect the ongoing construction work in Karachi and the team hotel arrangements before flying to Islamabad and Lahore for the same purpose.

“The delegation which includes their ICC Security Manager would also get briefings from security officials in Pakistan.” The source said it is entirely up to the ICC when they decide to finalise and announce the tournament schedule.

Photo used for representation purpose only.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

The Pakistan Cricket Board wants the BCCI to provide written proof of the Indian government’s denial of permission in case the team refuses to come here for next year’s Champions Trophy citing a travel ban on security grounds, a PCB source has said.

The host Board also wants the matter to be sorted as soon as possible, given that the tournament is scheduled in February-March.

While the ICC annual conference will be held in Colombo on July 19 doesn’t have any discussion on ‘Hybrid Model’ about India playing their games in the UAE on its agenda, the global body as usual has earmarked additional fund in case it becomes a two-country tournament.

“If the India government declines permission, it has to be in writing and it is mandatory on the BCCI to provide that letter to the ICC now,” the PCB source working closely with organizing committee told PTI.

“It is a fact that the we are insistent that the BCCI must inform the ICC about its travel plans to Pakistan at least 5-6 months before the tournament and in writing,” the top PCB source also stated.

The BCCI has always steadfastly maintained that playing cricket in Pakistan is completely a government call and even the 2023 ODI Asia Cup, which was hosted by PCB witnessed India playing all its games in Sri Lanka based on ‘Hybrid Model’.

The PCB has already submitted its draft schedule to ICC where all of India’s games including a possible semi-final and final has been scheduled in Lahore. The India vs Pakistan marquee match has been scheduled on March 1.

The tournament will start in Karachi on February 19 and conclude with the final in Lahore on March 9. The final will have a reserve day — March 10 — in case of inclement weather. A few matches will be held in Rawalpindi too.

If BCCI sources are to be believed, at this point there is no chance of travelling to Pakistan and knowing fully well, the ICC has allocated additional budget for any exigency plan.

“The ICC Management is recommending additional costs just in case it is necessary to play some matches outside Pakistan if such a situation arises later on,” the source confirmed.

Australian selector George Bailey. File
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Australian national selector George Bailey has said that the national team plans to move on from the recently-retired David Warner despite the southpaw’s desire to be considered for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next year.

The 37-year-old Warner retired from international cricket following the T20 World Cup in the Americas last month, where the Aussies failed to progress beyond the Super 8 stage.

However, he had insisted that he will keep the door open for a return for the Champions Trophy, a One-Day International format ICC event.

“Our understanding is that David is retired, and [he] should be commended on what has been an incredible career across all three formats. Certainly, our planning is that he won’t be there in Pakistan,” Bailey was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Warner had a decent run during the T20 World Cup, finishing as the side’s second-highest run-scorer, after Travis Head.

On his remarks on making a comeback during the Champions Trophy, Bailey said that Warner might be “stirring the pot”, with the team planning “to transition to some different players”.

“You never know when Bull’s joking…think he’s just stirring the pot a bit. He’s had a wonderful career, can’t celebrate it enough, and think as time goes by, his legacy of what he has done for Australia and we reflect back on that, the legend of a player is only going to continue to grow,” added Bailey.

“But, as far as this team goes and the journey to transition to some different players, in his case across all three formats, it’s going to be exciting.” The Australians will have a young squad during their upcoming tour of the United Kingdom, which includes limited-overs meetings against Scotland and England.

With the likes of Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell missing out, Bailey said the Kangaroos might see a more youthful squad going forward, with an eye on the next T20 World Cup in 2026.

“I don’t think there’s anyone who’s not there that we’ve put a line through permanently besides David (Warner). This is the way we are going with this squad,” he continued.

“The next T20 World Cup is 2026, so I imagine there may be some more changes than what we are seeing in this squad. But specifically, to those guys (Starc and Maxwell), no we haven’t had any conversations about where they think their T20 journey may finish.