Fast bowler Hasan Ali made a big statement regarding India’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy which is set to take place in Pakistan next year from February to March.
The PCB stands firm on its stance of hosting all of the Champions Trophy 2025 matches in the country despite rumours of a neutral venue or plan B. It was reported that the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan and play their matches on a neutral venue.
Hasan, who was the Player of the Tournament of Champions Trophy 2017, stated that if India does not come to Pakistan then we will host the event without them.
“If we’re going there (to India) to play, then they should come to Pakistan too. A lot of people have said countless times that sports should stay away from politics," Hasan said while talking on a local channel.
"But if you look at it from another angle, many Indian players have said in interviews that they want to play in Pakistan. So, it doesn’t mean that the team doesn’t want to come; they definitely do. But obviously, they have their own policies, country, and board to consider.
“As our [PCB] chairman has already said, if the Champions Trophy is going to be held in Pakistan, then it will be in Pakistan. If India doesn’t want to come, we’ll play without them. Cricket should be played in Pakistan, and if India doesn’t want to participate, it doesn’t mean cricket has ended. There are many other teams besides India," he added.
Three venues — Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore — will host the matches of eight matches and according to PCB's proposed schedule to ICC, all of India's matches will take place in Lahore.
Except India, all eight teams that will participate in the Champions Trophy have already played in Pakistan and the PCB believes that India does not have a strong reason not to come here.
The proposed dates for the Champions Trophy are from 19th February to 9th March.
This event will mark the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year hiatus, with its last occurrence in 2017, when Pakistan emerged victorious by defeating India in the final.
- Hasan Ali
