NEW DELHI:

The excitement surrounding Team India’s travel plans for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in February continues to build! Reports have surfaced that the BCCI has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that it won’t send the Indian team to Pakistan for the tournament. However, there’s a twist! It seems that the BCCI has expressed a preference to play its matches in Dubai instead. Interestingly, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi stated that he has yet to receive any formal communication from the BCCI on this matter.

The ICC has not set a deadline for officially declaring the tournament fixtures, but typically they aim to announce these details at least three months ahead of time. Last year, the BCCI postponed the announcement of ODI World Cup fixtures after PCB raised concerns about playing in Ahmedabad.

As per standard practice, the BCCI must seek clearance from the Indian government before making any decisions regarding travel to Pakistan.

“BCCI’s stance remains unchanged. The board doesn’t make any decisions without the government’s approval. PCB has been informed that the Indian team is unlikely to travel to Pakistan,” a BCCI source shared with TOI on Friday.

Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Pakistan had sparked hopes among cricket enthusiasts that India might agree to play in Pakistan.

It has been reported that the board decided on Dubai after discussions with the Indian team management. “If India plays its matches in Dubai, it would be convenient for PCB to host the matches there. It’s just a short flight from Pakistan to Dubai, and other teams are likely to be open to this arrangement,” the source added.

“Until now, no one has discussed any hybrid model with us, nor are we willing to engage in those discussions. However, we have been demonstrating goodwill for years, and it should not be expected of us to continue doing so indefinitely,” Naqvi stated to reporters in Lahore on Friday evening.

PCB had previously agreed to a hybrid model while hosting the Asia Cup in 2023, allowing India to play all their matches in Sri Lanka. Eventually, Pakistan consented to play India in Ahmedabad during the ODI World Cup.

As things currently stand, if BCCI’s position does not change, PCB may need to escalate the matter to the ICC, where the incumbent BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who will take over as ICC chairman on December 1, will have to make a decision. It’s important to note that the ICC generally does not interfere in any nation’s diplomatic policies.

Sources indicate that BCCI hopes for a resolution on this issue before Shah’s new role begins. Should PCB eventually embrace the hybrid model, it will be intriguing to see which venue the ICC suggests for the final. “Ideally, the final should be in Dubai. We need clarity on the final venue for such an important tournament,” the source emphasized.

PCB had suggested the idea of the Indian team establishing a base in Chandigarh and traveling to Lahore only on match days, but this concept is considered too complex logistically.