Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali has stated that India ‘should’ come to play the Champions Trophy next year in Pakistan, and that if they don’t, the hosts will go on with the tournament without them.
Speaking to Samaa TV, Hasan Ali said, “If we’re going to India to play, then they should come to Pakistan too. Many people have said countless times that sports should stay away from politics. But if you look at it from another angle, many Indian players have said in interviews that they want to play in Pakistan. So, it doesn’t mean that the team doesn’t want to come; they definitely do. But obviously, they have their own policies, country, and board to consider.”
“As our (PCB) chairman has already said, if the Champions Trophy is going to be held in Pakistan, then it will be in Pakistan. If India doesn’t want to come, we’ll play without them. Cricket should be played in Pakistan, and if India doesn’t want to participate, it doesn’t mean cricket has ended. There are many other teams besides India,” he added.
India haven’t toured Pakistan since 2005/06 and the two teams haven’t played a bilateral series since 2012/13 owing to the political strains between the two nations.
There are doubts about the men in blue touring Pakistan for next year’s Champions Trophy.
Former PCB chief Khalid Mahmood had recently conceded that there are slim chances of India playing matches in Pakistan.
Pakistan had routed India to win the previous edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017. (AP)
“They are very very slim chances they will agree to play in Pakistan,” Mahmood told Cricket Pakistan. “India is the richest cricket board and carries a lot of clout. If they don’t send their team to Pakistan I foresee even countries like Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh following their path.
“Look the thing is at this level you can only lobby and try to convince other boards to be on your side. India has too much clout in the ICC it would do no good for Pakistan to adopt a tit-for-tat strategy. Thing is when the BCCI says it can’t send its team and will play its matches outside Pakistan, it does reduce the purpose for Pakistan of hosting an ICC event,” he added.
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Pakistan were named as the hosts for the upcoming Champions Trophy in 2021. In 2017 – the last time the eight-team tournament was played – Pakistan had emerged winners under the captaincy of Sarfaraz Ahmed, beating India in the final.
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