Champions Trophy 2025: ICC Rules Out PoK as Venue After India's Objection
Controversies do not seem to be far behind when we talk about the Champions Trophy 2025 that is scheduled to be held in Pakistan. Recently, ICC has led the move that is going to stop Pakistan Cricket Board from taking the trophy on tour to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), after a stern objection from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Champions Trophy 2025: ICC Stops PCB from Taking Trophy Tour to PoK
The PCB had planned a nationwide tour for the trophy from November 16 to November 24, after planning to showcase it in all major cities and important places, including the world's second-highest peak, K2. The PCB had decided to visit three cities of PoK : Skardu, Murree, and Muzaffarabad, under this plan. But the ICC asked the PCB to delete the three cities of PoK from the tour itinerary and thereby the envisaged plan came to an end because of India's objections.
Get ready, Pakistan!
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 14, 2024
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour kicks off in Islamabad on 16 November, also visiting scenic travel destinations like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad. Catch a glimpse of the trophy which Sarfaraz Ahmed lifted in 2017 at The Oval, from 16-24… pic.twitter.com/SmsV5uyzlL
This development adds more strain into the already contentious issues related to the Champions Trophy. India has already stated that the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan for the tournament and has caused much restiveness within the PCB. The Champions Trophy is set to commence from February 19 to March 9, 2025, though no official calendar of events has been released.
The trophy has arrived in Pakistan and the campaigns by the PCB to promote the event have been marred with several problems. By calling off the trophy tour of PoK, the ICC seems to have conveyed the message across that they do not wish to see the political temperature of the region escalating any further.
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Disputes regarding the host tournament, up to India's refusal to play there on Pakistani soil, surround the Champions Trophy. All of these issues have tended to add to a more critical scrutiny of Pakistan's preparation for the tournament. The challenges notwithstanding, PCB is eager to showcase the capabilities of its cricketing dream, but the ICC's latest decision has been at the cost of promotional plans.
Then, when the tournament is near, the onus would be on whether PCB manages to overcome these obstacles and hosts Champions Trophy successfully under the active surveillance of ICC
