Pakistan Contemplates Champions Trophy Withdrawal, May Boycott India in ICC Events

Squabbles between the governments of India and Pakistan have arrived at the cricket pitch that can see Pakistan pull out of the 2025 Champions Trophy event. The PCB was advised by the ICC in a recent communication that India will not play any matches in Pakistan, giving rise to the possiblity of a large scale upheaval in the international cricket arena. The PCB has taken this matter to the Pakistan government and we are likely to see what could be one of the biggest cricketing crises.

Pakistani sources quoted in Dawn have suggested that the Pakistan government is seriously thinking of ordering the PCB to pull Pakistan out of the Champions Trophy. PCB Chief executive Mohsin Naqvi has already ruled out a model that would have let India play their games at a neutral venue, thus showing how determined Pakistan is to host the complete tournament. This matter has been treated with a lot of seriousness by the federal government suggesting that there might be more to it.

It does not only affect the Champions Trophy, as the government officials are thinking about instructing the PCB not to participate in any series against India in any ICC or ACC event. This consideration would remain in effect until the bilateral issues between these two countries are sorted out at the governmental level which may well change the face of the international cricket.

During his first press conference as the head of the Indian cricket team, Gautam Gambhir spoke about match-deciding situations but was heavily trolled for his body language. He agreed that Bumrah would lead the line if Rohit does not play the Perth Test, with KL Rahul or Abhimanyu Easwaran set to open alongside Jaiswal. It was after this press conference that Sanjay Manjrekar’s criticisms of the team in public media incited more controversies.

The disturbance of the two cricket boards has resulted to an increased tension that may affect many international tournaments. The PCB’s possibly pulling out of the Champions Trophy would not only impact the format of the proposed event but also possibly set precedence for future sporting events. This confrontation we have seen perfectly illustrates sports diplomacy and especially between India and Pakistan.

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