ICC Halts PCB's Champions Trophy Tour in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir Following BCCI's Strong Objection

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has paused the Champions Trophy tour in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) raised strong objections. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced plans to take the trophy to several cities in PoK, which led to the BCCI's protest.

Sources within the PCB indicated that they might remove one of the disputed cities from the tour. However, it is believed that the ICC will require Pakistan to exclude all such locations. The tournament, last held in 2017, faces uncertainty as the BCCI has refused to send its team to Pakistan. The PCB also rejected a Hybrid Model proposal where India would play its matches in Dubai.

ICC and BCCI's Stance on Trophy Tour

The tournament schedule remains undecided, and this recent controversy adds complexity. BCCI secretary Jay Shah reportedly spoke with ICC officials, expressing strong disapproval of PCB's decision to include PoK cities in the tour. "As far as Islamabad is concerned, there is no issue but there can't be any Trophy tour to POK," a senior BCCI official stated anonymously.

The Trophy Tour is part of a global promotional effort involving multiple city visits, coordinated with the host nation. However, without consulting all stakeholders, PCB announced on social media that the trophy would visit Skardu, Murree, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad, all located in disputed areas.

PCB's Response and ICC's Position

Following Shah's objection, PCB informed ICC about dropping Muzaffarabad from its itinerary. Nonetheless, BCCI seems unlikely to compromise. Some within BCCI believe ICC officials were unaware of Pakistan's diplomatic intentions and that PCB's announcement on social media alerted them.

An ICC Board Member commented on the situation: "The discussions on Trophy tour are still on. I am not aware if PCB had kept everyone in loop about the four cities mentioned but if not then it was certainly not the right thing to do. I don't think ICC will allow PCB to take the trophy to any disputed region."

PCB's Perspective on Planning

A source from PCB claimed that the trophy tour was organised with ICC's approval and wasn't solely a decision by Pakistan. "If they [BCCI] had issues, they should have notified the PCB immediately before announcing the Trophy tour," a PCB official remarked. The PCB maintains cooperation with ICC as hosts and commercial partners.

The source added that discussions with ICC are ongoing to ensure successful promotion of the trophy tour in Pakistan. Despite these efforts, tensions between BCCI and PCB continue over this matter.