The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed on Friday that it has signed the hosting rights agreement for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which is slated to be held in Pakistan. The agreement was signed in Dubai. The agreement was signed by Zaka Ashraf, the chairman of the PCB.
"Chairman PCB Management Committee Mr Zaka Ashraf was joined by ICC General Counsel Jonathan Hall in the signing of the hosting rights to Pakistan at the ICC headquarters," the PCB said in an official statement. If the tournament does end up getting played on Pakistan soil, it will be the first ICC event on Pakistan soil since 1996.
It is pertinent to note that even though Pakistan were all set to host matches of ICC Champions Trophy 2009 as well as the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2011, things took an ugly turn for them as a cricketing nation and on their capability to host a sporting event of an international nature such as the World Cup after terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in March 2009 in Lahore. Post the incident, matches were moved out of Pakistan owing to security concerns.
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Even as Pakistan has signed an agreement, it remains to be seen whether India travel to Pakistan to participate in the competition. Even though Pakistan did travel to India to feature in the ICC Men's World Cup 2023, Indian government has remained adamant on its stance of not allowing India to travel to the neighbouring nation amid tensed political relationship between the two countries. It was the same stance that forced the Asia Cup to be played in a hybrid model wherein all India matches including the final was played in Sri Lanka with a handful of matches being played in Pakistan.
The last time India played on Pakistan soil was in 2008 when Pakistan was the solo host of the Asia Cup. Meanwhile, the PCB has also said that it has informed the goverment to provide security to all the teams that will tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
"The PCB in its capacity has already intimated the government to provide foolproof security to visiting international teams for the Champions Trophy," the PCB statement added.
"Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in a recent meeting with Chairman PCB Management Committee assured the security agencies’ cooperation in the successful hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025."
(With Inputs From PTI)