ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Team India will not go to Pakistan to play the ICC Champions Trophy next year..? After Jay Shah became the chairman of ICC, there is a discussion that this tournament will be played in a hybrid model. Pakistan is to host the Champions Trophy in February-March 2025.
After Jah Shah became the chairman of ICC (International Cricket Council), there is a lot of discussion about adopting a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy. The ICC chairman has many powers. One of these is the power to change the match venue. Although the decision to change the match venue is usually in the hands of the local board, the advice and approval of the ICC chairman is also important in this process. Due to any extraordinary situation such as security reasons, political instability or natural disaster, the ICC President can decide to change the match venue in consultation with the member board.
That is, if Jay Shah wants, he can change the venue of the match. Now it can also be understood this way, currently Jay Shah is the BCCI Secretary. But when he was handling the post of President of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) along with BCCI Secretary, he had made it clear that the Indian team would not go to Pakistan at any cost. Later this is what happened, and the Indian team played the matches of Asia Cup 2023 in Pakistan under the hybrid model.
Pakistani cricketers made this appeal to Jay Shah on Champions Trophy
As soon as Jay Shah was announced as the ICC chairman, many Pakistani cricketers recently made statements. Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has urged Shah to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship and suggested that the new ICC chairman should help get travel approval for the Indian cricket team for the Champions Trophy.
At the same time, a statement from former Pakistani cricketer Rashid Latif also came. Latif said- PCB did not oppose the appointment of Jai Shah for any reason. I think there was an agreement between the two boards. If India plays in Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, it will be due to the efforts of Jai Shah and the support of the Government of India.
Jai explained why he adopted the hybrid model?
Jai Shah, the former President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), had explained in September 2023 why Sri Lanka was preferred over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to co-host the Asia Cup 2023 with Pakistan. In fact, many matches in that tournament were disrupted due to rain. Shah had said, ‘All the full members, media right holders and stadium right holders were initially hesitant to organize the entire tournament in Pakistan, due to the security and economic crisis in Pakistan.’
In such a situation, this can still be cited. In such a situation, India can also play the matches of ICC Champions Trophy on the basis of hybrid model. Because India has become stronger with Jai Shah’s arrival in ICC.
Jay Shah will become ICC chairman on December 1
The term of the current ICC chairman, Greg Barclay of New Zealand, will end on November 30. Jay Shah will take over as ICC chairman from December 1, 2024. The ICC announced on Tuesday (August 27) that he is the only nominee for this high-profile post, that is, Jay Shah has been elected to this post without any opposition.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has become the fifth Indian to be elected to the ICC. Before him, Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar have been elected to this post. Keep in mind that before him Jagmohan Dalmiya and Sharad Pawar were the President of ICC, while before them N Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar held the post of ICC Chairman. One more thing to note is that the post of ICC President was abolished in 2016. Zaheer Abbas was the last ICC President. In 2014, N Srinivasan became the first ICC Chairman. Then the posts of ICC Chairman and ICC President went on together for a few years.
BCCI gave this answer for Pakistan tour
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla had said in May 2024 that the Indian team will go to Pakistan for the tournament only if the central government allows it. Shukla had said, ‘In the case of the Champions Trophy, we will do what the Government of India tells us to do. We will send our team only when the Government of India allows. So we will go as per the decision of the Government of India.’
Will India play under the hybrid model?
There is very little chance of the Indian team going to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025, as the final decision is yet to be taken by the Indian government. According to recent reports, a hybrid model can be considered. India can play its matches in the UAE or Sri Lanka, just like the Asia Cup. The ICC’s stance will also be important in this matter.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)