Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram sent a special message to the BCCI and the Indian government, urging India to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament, slated to take place in February next year. Akram revealed that with the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and other top India stars having their separate fan base in Pakistan, they will be looked after "amazingly well" in the country.
"I think whatever I'm reading, there are positive vibes from [the] Indian government and [the] BCCI," Akram was quoted by ESPNCricinfo. "I also read somewhere they will play probably all their games in Lahore. They will probably come to Lahore and travel [back] the same night. I'm all for it, as long as India is comfortable.
“And I can promise you, they [are] going to get looked after amazingly well. I mean, Indian cricketers like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, [Hardik] Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, they have fans in Pakistan. The young cricket fans adore them.”
Will India travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy?
The Champions Trophy, which will return to the international cricket calendar after eight years, will be played between February 19 and March 9 in Pakistan. The ICC has officially confirmed the venues for all 15 matches.
However, the biggest concern remains around India's participation. India have not toured Pakistan since 2008, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet received any confirmation from the Indian government on whether the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team would be allowed to go to Pakistan for the ICC tournament.
{{/usCountry}}However, the biggest concern remains around India's participation. India have not toured Pakistan since 2008, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet received any confirmation from the Indian government on whether the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team would be allowed to go to Pakistan for the ICC tournament.
{{/usCountry}}On October 8, the Telegraph reported that alternate venues are being informally considered by the ICC if India make the final, with Dubai emerging as a likely alternate venue. This implies that the Champions Trophy will have no clarity on the venue of the final until March 6, which is just three days before the match, and hence two separate grounds will be prepared to stage the event, creating a sense of uncertainty among the media and the fans.
A PCB spokesperson, as quoted by DunyaNews, denied all rumours about a shift in the venue of the Champions Trophy final and said that they remain committed to hosting the entire tournament in the country.
“Despite the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, the PCB remains steadfast in its stance to ensure a successful and uninterrupted tournament. There is absolutely no truth to the reports suggesting that the Champions Trophy final could be moved outside Pakistan," the PCB spokesperson said.