The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the Jay Shah-led International Cricket Council (ICC) that India will not travel to Pakistan for any matches for the upcoming eight-team Champions Trophy matches in 2025. The Indian team’s move is allegedly due to the GOI’s directives. The Champion Trophy matches are scheduled in three venues in Pakistan between February 19 and March 9, 2025. However, India’s refusal would mean the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the ICC to come up with a hybrid model as a contingency. In the hybrid model, India and the competing teams will be shuttling to a different venue in a neighboring country for the matches, with Sri Lanka and the UAE being the closest choices. Meanwhile, the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has ruled out any possibility of a hybrid model for the series.
The BCCI has informed the ICC that India will not travel to Pakistan to participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy https://t.co/0x7mldouQU pic.twitter.com/3S4oM86SWt— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 9, 2024
Meanwhile, the Internet took a dig at Jay Shah, the former chief of BCCI and the current chair of the ICC, with hilarious memes, including one “Karthik Calling Karthik” (a 2010, Farhan Akhtar flick) reference. One user asked, “Hypocrisy much?” The user added, “The Indian foreign minister, Kabaddi, and badminton team had no issue traveling to Pakistan.” They further reasoned, “The reason is political and out of hate. Don’t be patriotic with selective stances,” noted the user. Another user pitched a solution for India vs Pakistan watch: “Expand Wagah border/”
Jay Shah informs Jay Shah— Gagan Chawla (@toecrushrzzz) November 9, 2024
Solution to the problem,
Expand Wagah border or make another similar replica for stadium.@TheRealPCB @BCCI pic.twitter.com/UFvvV39CVr— Ikram Yöusefzai (@Ikramyousefzai) November 9, 2024
Jay Shah(BCCI) informing Jay Shah (ICC) https://t.co/L7tnvRk91M pic.twitter.com/tLYu3ouxeu— A 🏏 (@CaughtAtGully) November 9, 2024
Jay Shah (@BCCI ) informing Jay Shah (@ICC ) pic.twitter.com/4rKyB23c5G— Rishikesh Nirala (@Rishikesh_Ara) November 10, 2024
Their foreign minister was enjoying himself in Islamabad three weeks ago and now their board’s RR shows how afraid they are of losing in Pakistan— Hassan Abbasian (@HassanAbbasian) November 9, 2024
Call it what is ‘Hypocrisy’
So Indian foreign minister, kabaddi and badminton team had no issue traveling to Pak.
The reason is political and out of hate @BCCI Don’t play @TheRealPCB in @ICC events too. Don’t be selective with your patriotic stance— Rishikesh Nirala (@Rishikesh_Ara) November 10, 2024
Solution to the problem,
Expand Wagah border or make another similar replica for stadium.@TheRealPCB @BCCI pic.twitter.com/UFvvV39CVr— Ikram Yöusefzai (@Ikramyousefzai) November 9, 2024
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The Champions Trophy, aka “Mini World Cup,” which was originally named the ICC KnockOut Trophy, was first held in 1998 in Bangladesh. The previous host of the quadrennial tournament was Wales (2017), and the current host is Pakistan (2025), which is also the reigning champions. The next edition of the series will be hosted by India in 2029. Some of the ICC associate nations played their first Champions Trophy in the following order: USA (2004), Netherlands (2002), Kenya, and Bangladesh (2000). Meanwhile, Afghanistan will play its first Champions Trophy in the upcoming edition in Pakistan (2025).
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