DUBAI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has tasked the International Cricket Council (ICC) with the task of convincing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to send its team to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
The tournament, scheduled for the first quarter of next year, had a budget approved recently during the ICC meeting in Colombo, although the schedule and format were not discussed, according to a PCB source.
According to an Indian media report, the PCB has already submitted all the necessary details in its Expression of Interest document with the ICC.
The said report further added that the PCB has now entrusted the responsibility of finalizing and announcing the tournament schedule to the ICC, which must also secure confirmation from the BCCI regarding the Indian team’s trip to Pakistan.
To deal with scenarios where the Indian team might play away from Pakistan, the ICC has included additional expenses in its tournament budget.
Historically, the BCCI has insisted that playing cricket in Pakistan is a decision of the Indian government. During the 2023 ODI Asia Cup, India played their matches in Sri Lanka under a “hybrid model”.
According to the draft schedule, all of India’s matches, including a potential semi-final and final, are scheduled to be held in Lahore, with the India-Pakistan match scheduled for March 1.
