ICC Champions Trophy without India not an option, says ECB, adds that ICC has contingency plans in place

Hyderabad: The officials at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) opined that holding the ICC Champions Trophy without India is not an option and added that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is ready with a contingency plan if India refuses to travel to Pakistan to play in the tournament.

A tense political scenario between India and Pakistan meant India have not played cricket in Pakistan since 2008. India’s travel to Pakistan to take part in any tournament is only possible after the government’s clearance and it is unlikely that the Indian government will give the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) the permission to allow the Indian cricket team to travel to Pakistan.

In such a case, holding the ICC Champions Trophy on a hybrid is the only option that is left with the ICC and the PCB.

The Asia Cup in 2023, for which Pakistan were the hosts, was played in a hybrid model with India playing all their matches in Sri Lanka while Pakistan and Sri Lanka played their matches in Pakistan. Since India qualified for the knockout stages of the tournament, the later stages of the Asia Cup 2023 was held in Sri Lanka.

ECB’s chief executive Richard Gould and chair Richard Thompson opined it would not be in the best interest of the sport to play the tournament without India, and they added that the broadcast rights should also be protected. “It would not be in cricket’s interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy,” Thompson was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

Thompson added that Jay Shah, who will take over his role in the ICC in December, will have a huge role to play. “It is interesting, with Jay Shah – the former secretary of the BCCI and now chair of the ICC – who is going to have a big role to play in that. There’s geopolitics, and then there’s cricketing geopolitics. I think they’ll find a way. They have to find a way,” Thompson added.

Gould concurred with his colleague and said the broadcast rights have to also be protected. “If you play the Champions Trophy without India, or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them. They (Pakistan) are the host nation. We’ve seen the developments going on, and we’re all waiting to understand whether India are going to travel. That’s the key,” he said.

He added that there are contingencies available with the ICC. “We think there are some discussions and relationships where they need to be. I know Pakistan are expecting India to travel. There are lots of different alternatives and contingencies available if that doesn’t happen,” he added.