Daily Times

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi reiterated on Monday that the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025 would still be held in the country amid India’s refusal to send its team for the tournament.

Speaking to the media at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Naqvi said: “We will achieve our target and God willing safely hold the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.” Questioned about any correspondence from the ICC regarding Pakistan’s stance of refusing to adopt a hybrid model, he said: “We wrote a letter and await a response. We only have interaction with ICC and are awaiting its response.” The PCB chairman said that politics should be kept separate from sports and no country should mix them, adding that he still hoped for the best.

“I think the ICC will need to think about its own credibility, that it is a body of all cricket bodies,” Naqvi added. “All the other teams who qualified for the Champions Trophy are ready to come here, no one has any issue. “Our stance is clear, we have said it before and we will stick to that stance.” The PCB chairman noted that the ICC had yet to announce the match schedule, adding that he hoped it would be done soon so the PCB could make arrangements accordingly.