Champions Trophy: ICC has made changes in the tour schedule of next year’s Champions Trophy. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had objected to the Trophy Tour being held in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), after which the global body of cricket has released a revised schedule which does not include POK. The Trophy Tour will now pass through Karachi, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.
The Trophy Tour will begin from Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and conclude at Taxila and Khanpur on November 17, Abbottabad on November 18, Murree on November 19, Nathia Gali on November 20 and Karachi on November 22 to 25. Earlier, on November 14, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced that it would carry out a trophy tour which also included cities like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad.
India had expressed objection
India had expressed strong objection to PCB’s trophy tour taking place in PoK and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had lodged a protest with the ICC. Jay Shah, who is set to take over as ICC president on December 1, had told the ICC that it was unacceptable that the PCB was planning a trophy tour in PoK.
The trophy will travel to other countries also
After the start of the tour in Pakistan, the trophy tour will be Afghanistan from 26 to 28 November, Bangladesh from 10 to 13 December, South Africa from 15 to 22 December, Australia from 25 December to 5 January 2025, New Zealand from 6 to 11 January, 12 to 14 Will be in England till January and India from 15 to 26 January. Apart from Pakistan, the cities in other countries where the yatra will be held will be announced later.
Pakistan is the defending champion of the Champions Trophy. In 2017, it won the title by defeating India in the title match played at The Oval, London. Next year’s Champions Trophy is to be held in Pakistan, but India has refused to travel to the neighboring country for the tournament. The ICC is working with the PCB to find a solution to the issue, which also includes holding the Champions Trophy on a hybrid model.