The International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet this week to determine the destiny of next year’s Champions Trophy after India refused to play in host nation Pakistan, a spokesperson said.
Earlier this month, the ICC informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that India would not tour Pakistan for the eight-team tournament, leaving the fate of the showcase event hanging in the balance.
The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.
A spokesperson for the ICC based in Dubai told the AFP news agency on Tuesday they could “confirm an ICC meeting on Friday” where the issue will be on the agenda, without providing further details.
The PCB has already rejected proposals that would allow India to play in a neutral third country, insisting the full schedule from February 19 to March 9 must be staged in Pakistan.
India’s cricket board has not commented on the tournament.
India has not visited Pakistan since 2008, and deteriorating political ties mean the great rivals only play each other at multiteam ICC events.
Pakistan travelled to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup in October and November 2023 and played all its matches in the host nation.
Pakistan suffered a multiyear drought of matches at home as teams refused to visit after a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore. International play only fully resumed in 2020.
When Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup, India’s matches were played outside the country.
Pakistani cricket chiefs have rejected security fears for the Champions Trophy, pointing to their recent successful hosting of top teams including Australia, England and South Africa.
The Champions Trophy will be the first ICC event staged in Pakistan since it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan are the defending ICC Champions Trophy holders from when it was last staged in 2017.
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