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It is “unlikely” that the Indian Cricket team will travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy next year due to ‘security concerns’ there, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday. Due to strained political relations between the two nations, India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, when they participated in the Asia Cup. The two arch-rivals last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, comprising white-ball matches. After that, India and Pakistan have primarily faced each other in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal cited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) statement, which stated that because of the “security concerns” in Pakistan, it is unlikely that the Indian team will cross the border to play the marquee event in Pakistan.
“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 in a weekly press briefing today.
India has firmly held its stance of not travelling to Pakistan. The BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has consistently emphasised that the board will strictly adhere to the directives issued by the Indian government.
While India cleared its stance about not travelling for the ICC tournament, Pakistan have remained adamant in its stance as well.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, had brushed away the idea of hosting the tournament in a hybrid model. Recently, he promised that the board is trying to do what is best for Pakistan cricket.
“Our stance is very clear. I promise we’ll do what is best for Pakistan cricket. I’m constantly in touch with the ICC chairman, and my team is talking to them constantly. We’re still clear in our stance that it’s not acceptable that we play cricket in India, and they don’t play cricket here. Whatever will happen, will happen on the basis of equality. We’ve told the ICC very clearly, and what happens next we’ll let you know,” Naqvi was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
