Shoaib Malik visited Pakistan and urged India to keep politics and sports separate.©AFP
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has expressed his views on the possibility of India pulling out of the Champions Trophy 2025. Ever since Pakistan was awarded the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy, there has been discussion about whether India will tour the neighbouring country. India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series for over a year. India’s last visit to Pakistan dates back to 2006, while the last time the two countries played a bilateral series was in 2012/13, when India hosted the match. Due to political differences between the two countries, it is reported that the Indian government is unlikely to grant travel permission to the team for the tournament in Pakistan.
For those who don’t know, Pakistan visited India last year for the ICC ODI World Cup and amid the ongoing controversy, Malik urged the Indian team to visit Pakistan and keep sports and politics separate.
“Any issues or disputes between the two countries are separate issues and should be resolved separately in any necessary manner. Politics should not be brought into sports. Pakistan team went to India last year and now Indian team has got an opportunity to come here. I don’t think many of the players in the Indian team have played in Pakistan so this will be a good opportunity for them. We are a very hospitable people so I am sure the Indian team should definitely come,” Malik told Cricket Pakistan.
According to a PTI report, the Football Association of India has entrusted the ICC with the process of persuading India to take part in the tournament in Pakistan.
The budget for the Champions Trophy was approved at the recent ICC meeting in Colombo but the schedule and format were not discussed at all. “The PCB has done what was required of them as the organisers of the Champions Trophy. They have submitted a draft schedule and format for the event and have also submitted a budget for the event,” a PCB official said.
“It is up to the ICC to circulate, discuss and finalise how quickly the schedule for the Champions Trophy will be decided. The PCB, in its proposed schedule, has proposed to host all India’s matches in Lahore, including the semi-finals (if India qualify) and the final,” he said.
(With PTI input)
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