The Indian cricket team will not go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy and wants to play their matches at a neutral venue. It is reliably learned that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its decision to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and other stakeholders and there is a distinct possibility that some of the matches will be played in Dubai.
“Yes, the BCCI has expressed its concerns about the Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. They want to play matches at a neutral venue and Dubai is a strong candidate to host matches with the Men in Blue,” said a source following the development.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had already proposed a schedule for the multi-nation tournament and India was to play its matches in Lahore. However, there was no discussion on the proposal and now the BCCI’s decision will result in some adjustments before the schedule can be announced to the public.
As per the original plan, the complete ICC Champions Trophy schedule was to be released on Monday, but it remains to be seen how much time the global cricket body will need to make the necessary adjustments.
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Dubai is an appropriate choice as the ICC has hosted a number of major tournaments there and smoothly hosted the recent Women’s T20 World Cup, which was shifted from Bangladesh due to political unrest in the country.
“There are no problems in Dubai. Hotels are not a problem, logistics are a problem, everything can be handled without problems. And the ICC has things under control as far as Dubai is concerned,” adds the source.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 19, and the title fight is scheduled for March 9. The PCB has already started the process of upgrading its existing venues for the 50-over tournament.
