Champions Trophy

India-Pakistan stern on Champions Trophy

India and Pakistan have hardened their position on the tournament going ahead as scheduled from September 12 onwards in Karachi and Lahore, leaving the ICC only with the possibility of a cancellation otherwise.

An option is to relocate the tournament to Sri Lanka, the official alternate venue - a solution that ESPN-Star Sports (ESS), the official broadcaster, may agree to even at this late stage - but India and Pakistan remain adamant that the tournament cannot be shifted on what they believe are “flimsy grounds”.

The ICC, it is learnt, was informed about this view during a meeting at its headquarters in Dubai on Wednesday evening between David Morgan, its president, Sharad Pawar, its vice-president who also heads the BCCI, Haroon Lorgat, its chief executive and Shafqat Naghmi, the chief operating officer of the PCB. Apparently, there is also a credible pullout threat from Pakistan, backed by India, if the venue is changed.

Asked if moving the tournament to Sri Lanka was a solution, a source said, “You can’t rule out the possibility of a cancellation, considering the absolute lack of a consensus at this stage.”

The big issue is that teams like Australia and New Zealand do not want to come and without them, the broadcasters are going to take the ICC to court.

Tags: bcci, Champions Trophy, ESPN-Star Sports, ESS, Haroon Lorgat, icc, India, pakistan, pcb, Shafqat Naghmi