The ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held from February 19 to March 9, will take place in Pakistan. However, with India refusing to play its matches in Pakistan, the tournament’s organization and venue logistics have faced significant challenges. Amid this uncertainty, the Champions Trophy was taken to Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 14. Pakistan had initially planned to tour the trophy across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), but after objections from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the ICC canceled the PoK leg of the tour.
The ICC has now released a revised schedule, ensuring the trophy will not visit any cities in PoK. According to the new itinerary, the trophy will also tour India from January 15 to January 26 as part of its 12-day stop. The tour will continue across other participating nations as well.
ICC Takes Action Against PCB’s PoK Move
The ICC reprimanded the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its decision to include cities in PoK in the Champions Trophy’s promotional tour. PCB had announced stops in controversial regions like Muzaffarabad, Skardu, Hunza, and Murree, which are part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These plans raised concerns that such actions could be used to bolster Pakistan’s territorial claims over PoK.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah lodged a formal objection with the ICC, insisting that PoK must be excluded from the trophy’s tour. The ICC promptly intervened, instructing PCB to remove PoK cities from the itinerary. Following the directive, PCB canceled the PoK leg of the tour.
Trophy Tour Schedule
- November 16: Islamabad, Pakistan
- November 17: Taxila and Khanpur, Pakistan
- November 18: Abbottabad, Pakistan
- November 19: Murree, Pakistan
- November 20: Nathia Gali, Pakistan
- November 22-25: Karachi, Pakistan
- November 26-28: Afghanistan
- December 10-13: Bangladesh
- December 15-22: South Africa
- December 25 – January 5: Australia
- January 6-11: New Zealand
- January 12-14: England
- January 15-26: India
- January 27: Tournament launch in Pakistan
PCB’s Controversial Plans
PCB’s decision to include PoK cities in the Champions Trophy’s tour sparked significant backlash. The PCB even shared promotional posts on social media, explicitly mentioning PoK locations, raising alarms within Indian cricket circles.
If the ICC had overlooked the PCB’s actions, it could have set a precedent for Pakistan to claim PoK as its territory, using the Champions Trophy’s visit as symbolic evidence. India has long asserted that PoK is disputed territory and part of its sovereign domain.
ICC’s Firm Stand
The ICC has taken note of the PCB’s overreach. Typically, such ICC events are organized only after a detailed program is finalized, including the host country’s itinerary for the trophy tour. However, with India’s decision to boycott matches in Pakistan, the Champions Trophy’s hosting rights remain contentious.
PCB’s provocative stance appears to have further strained relations with India, making it almost certain that Indian teams will not participate in matches hosted in Pakistan. Instead of fostering goodwill, the PCB’s actions have exacerbated political tensions.
The revised trophy tour schedule reflects the ICC’s commitment to keeping international cricket free from political controversies.
