Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has expressed strong opinions regarding India's reported reluctance to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali said that most of the boards that are under the International Cricket Council are set to follow what BCCI secretary Jay Shah says. The Pakistani legend believes that everything works according to the Indian cricket administrator’s wishes and that the ICC might conduct the 2025 Champions Trophy, according to Shah, as the tension around hosting the upcoming showpiece events mounts.
It has been reported that Team India might not take part due to security issues and the geopolitical tensions between both sides, while the Pakistan Cricket Board has submitted the draft to the ICC for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. In addition to this, the schedule is likely to be changed after Team India gives their final word on their reluctance to travel to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, as Team India has not played in Pakistan for over 16 years, the BCCI might propose a hybrid model to ensure that Rohit Sharma and his men can play their games either in Dubai or Sri Lanka. Pakistan were the hosts of the 2023 Asia Cup as well, but India didn’t travel and played all of their matches in Sri Lanka. Notably, Rohit Sharma and Co. thrashed hosts Sri Lanka, which was led by Dasun Shanaka, by 10 wickets to win the final game at R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
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Speaking about Team India’s dominance in the ICC, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali says that all the countries are just puppets of the Indian Cricket Board and will do whatever Jay Shah says. The Karachi-born star further said that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is thrilled with the bilateral series against India, as the Men in Blue won’t probably travel to the country.
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“5-6 boards jo haina dum hilate huye woh baat karenge jo Jay Shah bolenge. [There are 5-6 board who will wag their tails and do what Jay Shah says]. The Pakistan board should say no to playing in a third country. If India are not willing to play in our country, then we shouldn’t agree to play the series in another country either,” he said on his YouTube channel.
It’s worth mentioning that the BCCI is unlikely to send Rohit Sharma and Co. to Pakistan for the upcoming marquee event owing to uncordial political relations between both sides.
