Pakistan Champions Trophy final will be decided by ICC on November 29 | Cricket news

The ICC will decide on the next steps for the tournament to be hosted in Pakistan after India refused to travel to the country.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet this week to decide the future of next year’s Champions Trophy after India refused to play in host country Pakistan, a spokesman said.

Earlier this month, the ICC informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that India would not be visiting Pakistan for the eight-team tournament, leaving the fate of the event hanging in the balance.

The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since the partition of the continent in 1947 and that rivalry is often seen on the cricket field.

A Dubai-based ICC spokesman told AFP on Tuesday that they “can confirm an ICC meeting on Friday” where the issue will be discussed, without giving further details.

The PCB has already rejected proposals to allow India to play in a third neutral country, insisting that the entire schedule from February 19 to March 9 should be played in Pakistan.

The Indian cricket board has not commented on the tournament.

India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, and the deterioration of political relations means the arch-rivals are playing each other in many ICC group events.

Pakistan headed to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup in October and November 2023 and played all their matches in the host country.

Pakistan faced a multi-year drought at home as teams refused to tour after the Sri Lankan cricket team bus attack in Lahore in 2009. International play resumed in full in 2020.

When Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup last year, India’s matches were played outside the country.

Pakistan cricket officials have dismissed fears over the security of the Champions Trophy, pointing to their successful hosting of top teams including Australia, England and South Africa.

The Champions Trophy will be the first ICC event in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan is the defending champion of the ICC Champions Trophy since the last time it was played in 2017.