Champions Trophy: Once More, India and Pakistan face off, this time in the Boardroom

BCCI and PCB could clash at the ICC meeting in Colombo regarding the Champions Trophy

India is expected to designate its inability to tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in February next year, citing a lack of government clearance. This development sets the stage for potentially significant discussions at the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) series of meetings scheduled from 19-22 in Colombo. According to sources, BCCI secretary Jay Shah will travel to Colombo on Thursday for these meetings, which will culminate in the Annual General Meeting on July 22.

Although the agenda of the AGM (as per TOI’s copy) does not expressly include discussion on the issue, the contentious matter is expected to be addressed by the boards of India and Pakistan. Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Mohsin Naqvi is set to represent Pakistan in the ‘any other business’ category.

The Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9. According to the proposed schedule by the PCB, India is slated to compete in all three of their league matches in Lahore (February 20 vs Bangladesh, February 23 vs New Zealand & March 1 vs Pakistan). The semi finals are scheduled for Karachi on March 5 and Rawalpindi on March 6, with the final set to be held in Lahore on March 9.

In the event of India declining to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, the ICC may consider exploring a hybrid model, possibly hosting India’s matches in the UAE or Sri Lanka. However, the PCB is expected to respond strongly to such a scenario. 

The BCCI secretary may also attend the India vs Pakistan women’s Asia cup match in Dambulla on Friday.

The suspense persists over SKY or Hardik for the captaincy

Meanwhile, the uncertainty over who will be India’s next T20 captain- Hardik Pandya or Suryakumar Yadav- persisted for another day, with the Indian team now expected to be finalized on Thursday. It has been reported that during an online meeting on Tuesday, new Head coach Gautam Gambhir and the selectors discussed various aspects of Indian cricket, including the suggestions to appoint Suryakumar, the world’s second ranked T20 batsman, as reported by TOI on Wednesday. This recommendation arose due to concerns about Hardik’s susceptibility to injuries. However, a final decision on the matter was not reached during the meeting.