Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi says he is quite optimistic that the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled for 2025 is going to be a safe event: he is sure that India will take part in it. The tournament is to be played from 19 February to 9 March and will be staged across Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Naqvi said that preparatory work for the event is going according to plan, and there is more to be said about the stadiums. Speaking from Lahore to the press, Naqvi seemed to hint at the uncertainty still surrounding India's participation in the tournament. India last visited Pakistan in July 2008 due to political tensions between the two nations. Yet, Naqvi appeared convinced that India would be participating in the tournament.
"The Indian team should come. I don't see them cancelling or postponing coming here, and we are confident that we will host all the teams of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan," said Naqvi at a Lahore news conference today.
He assured that the stadiums would be ready on time, and any other renovation of the venues would be done after the tournament. "In a way, you can say that we are going to have a brand new stadium," Naqvi added.
He was asked if S. Jaishankar, India's Minister of External Affairs, was likely to hold meetings with him, as the latter is scheduled to visit Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) conclave on October 15-16. Naqvi downplayed that too. "He is coming, but I don't think details of his meetings have been set," he said.
Naqvi's optimism comes amidst recent comments by BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla that it is the Indian government who will finally decide on whether India will participate in the Champions Trophy. However, Naqvi's confidence is, rather it is a reflection of, the commitment shown by PCB to host the event successfully and paving for the two cricketing nations to be back into the fray.
Naqvi also spoke of the speculations doing the rounds in respect of Babar Azam who was going to continue as Pakistan's white-ball captain. Babar has resigned from the post, rumor-mills say. However, Naqvi revealed that he had told the selection committee not to hasten its decision and instead make a long-term one.
"I told them to think and decide, as the captain's post is a vital one," Naqvi said, adding decisions should be taken sensibly.
Naqvi also said that he had already consulted with the selection committee, the captain, and the head coach about introducing new players to the national team. "They said they are okay with the current set-up of players, so I told them 'Fine, it is your call,'" he added.