The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has dismissed the idea of having next year’s Champions Trophy without India. The ECB top brass has also mentioned the alternatives, in case India don’t travel to Pakistan for the ICC event. India haven’t played a match in Pakistan since 2008.
The Champions Trophy is scheduled to be played in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9 next year. The Indian cricket team going across the border for the tournament is subject to the government of India’s permission. India didn’t travel to Pakistan for last year’s Asia Cup and the tournament was played in a hybrid model, with India playing their matches in Sri Lanka. An ICC functionary had earlier told RevSportz that a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy could also be a real possibility.
ECB chair Richard Thompson and CEO Richard Gould are currently in Pakistan, ahead of the ICC meetings in Dubai. And they spoke to the media on the sidelines of the ongoing second Test between Pakistan and England.
“Without India? I wouldn’t have thought so, because if you play the Champions Trophy without India or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them,” Gould said.
Pakistan haven’t hosted a global event since 1996. But if India refuse to go to Pakistan, then alternative arrangements have to be made. The ECB chief executive said as much.
“There are a variety of different options available if those circumstances come along,” Gould added. “But also, when was the last time Pakistan hosted any kind of ICC trophy? This is a big moment for the country, and hopefully we can have the fullest possible competition in Pakistan. If that’s not possible, we know there are options available.”
Jay Shah will take charge as the ICC’s independent chair later this year, and it would be interesting to see what role he plays. “It’s interesting with Jay Shah, the former (outgoing) secretary of the BCCI and now chair (elect) of the ICC, going to have a big role to play in that,” said Thompson. “There’s geopolitics and then there’s cricketing geopolitics. I think they will find a way. They have to find a way.”
He added: “There are always security concerns in this part of the world when those two countries play each other. That will probably drive the key decisions. But I know relationships between the two countries are as amicable as they can be at the moment. We saw it play out at the World Cup in New York. It would not be in cricket’s interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy.”
The ECB hierarchy refused to comment on whether India should travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, saying it would be between the two countries.