The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday strongly objected to Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) purported move to take the Champions Trophy for a tour of the disputed ‘Pakistan Occupied Kashmir’ (POK), prompting the global body International Cricket Council (ICC) to put the promotional event on hold.
The tournament, last played in 2017, is already in limbo after the BCCI officially intimated ICC about the Indian cricket team’s inability to travel to Pakistan. The PCB in return, as of now, has rejected the proposed ‘Hybrid Model’ with India playing its matches in Dubai. The schedule has also been put on hold and the new controversy could only make things ugly.
It is learnt that BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Friday spoke to the top brass of the ICC and condemned this move by Pakistan and has urged the global body to take strong note.
“The BCCI secretary, after it came to his notice, called up the ICC and was extremely critical of PCB’s move to conduct a Trophy tour of multiple cities which fall under Pakistan Occupied Kashmir,” a senior BCCI official privy to the development said according to reports, adding, “He has urged the ICC to take strong action. As far as Islamabad is concerned, there is no issue but there can’t be any Trophy tour to POK.”