The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has planned a high-stakes Champions Trophy match between Pakistan and India to take place in Lahore on March 1 next year.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to approve this schedule, according to India’s Press Trust of India (PTI).
The Champions Trophy is set to run from February 19 to March 9, with March 10 as a reserve day. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who attended the T20 World Cup final in Barbados, submitted a draft schedule comprising 15 matches.
Notably, all of India’s games, including a potential semifinal, are scheduled for Lahore due to security and logistical reasons.
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A senior ICC Board member mentioned that the opening match will be in Karachi, with the semifinals in Karachi and Rawalpindi, and the final in Lahore. India is grouped with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand in Group A, while Group B includes Australia, South Africa, England, and Afghanistan.
Recently, Chris Tetley, the ICC head of events, met with Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad after an ICC security team inspected the venues. This comes after Pakistan hosted the 2023 Asia Cup using a ‘Hybrid Model’ due to India’s refusal to play in Pakistan, resulting in India’s matches being held in Sri Lanka.
While most ICC board chiefs support the proposed schedule, the BCCI will consult its government before making a decision. The ICC cannot force any cricket board to act against its government’s directives, leaving the final decision pending.
