After BCCI’s objection, ICC cancels trophy tour in PoK

Following a strong objection by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the International Cricket Council on Friday stopped Pakistan from conducting a Champions Trophy tour at Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Tournament in trouble

• The Champions Trophy, last held in 2017, is in limbo after the BCCI last week refused to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing security concerns
• The schedule for the tournament, which was to be made public on November 11, has been put on hold and the latest controversy over PoK tour could make things worse
• Last week, the BCCI had refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, which was scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025, in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi
• The BCCI has requested that all its matches should be held in Dubai. The ICC is still trying to get the PCB on board to hold the tournament in a hybrid model

It is understood that BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who is set to take over as the ICC Chairman on December 5, had communicated the objection to the ICC on Thursday.

Consequently, the ICC asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to stop the trophy tour. The tournament, last held in 2017, is already in limbo after the BCCI last week refused to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing security concerns. The schedule for the tournament has also been put on hold and the latest controversy over the PoK tour could only make things complex and worse.

India has always considered the PoK as its integral part. Both Houses of Parliament had adopted a resolution in February 1994, stating that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India, and Pakistan must vacate parts of the state under its occupation.

On Thursday, the PCB had announced the trophy tour in the PoK on the micro-blogging site X: “Get ready, Pakistan! The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tour kicks off in Islamabad on November 16, also visiting scenic travel destinations like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad. Catch a glimpse of the trophy which Sarfaraz Ahmed lifted in 2017 at The Oval from November 16-24.”

Like the tournament schedule, the trophy tour is also decided in consultation with the ICC and it is understood that the PCB had not taken the ICC’s nod to take the trophy to the PoK. The new dates of the tour are now likely to be announced by the PCB in consultation with the ICC. Last week, the BCCI had refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, which was scheduled from February 19 to March 9 in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. In an email sent by Shah, the BCCI had requested that all its matches should be held in Dubai. Two years earlier too, India team did not travel to Pakistan to play the Asia Cup. Then, the Indian matches were held in Sri Lanka. This standoff between the BCCI and the PCB has now forced the ICC to postpone the announcement of the Champions Trophy match schedule, which was to be made public on November 11. The ICC is still trying to get the PCB on board to hold the tournament in a hybrid model.

The tiff between the PCB and the BCCI has spilled over to other sports as well. The Indian kabaddi team is now not going for the matches scheduled in Kartarpur, Lahore and Bahawalpur. Consequently, the Pakistan Scrabble Association (PSA) announced that the Indian High Commission had delayed issuing visas to its members forcing the team to withdraw from the Asia Cup Youth Scrabble Championship (November 10-12) in New Delhi. The MEA has rubbished this allegation.