The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) meeting on November 29 to end the impasse over Champions Trophy hosting may no longer be crucial as the political unrest in designated host nation Pakistan has in all probability tilted the scales in favour of a hybrid model, believes former Pakistan batter Basit Ali.
After India refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament scheduled for February 19 to March 9 next year and Pakistan said no to a hybrid model, the ICC hasn’t been able to find a resolution to the matter. But after Sri Lanka’s A team returned home midway from their tour of Pakistan because of a tense political situation in Islamabad, a hybrid model or taking the tournament out of Pakistan could be the only two options left with the ICC.
If that becomes the primary reason behind ICC’s decision, then Pakistan will be left with no choice but to accept it.
“There’s no use of the ICC meeting on November 29,” said Basit in a video on his YouTube channel. “It (the political unrest) will have a huge side effect (on the Champions Trophy decision)…In the end, what will happen is either Pakistan has to agree to a hybrid model or the tournament altogether will be taken away.”
In the wake of the Sri Lankan board calling back its A team, other countries will also be keeping a close eye on the political developments in Pakistan, especially because Rawalpindi, which is adjacent to Islamabad, is one of the three venues for the tournament. Lahore and Karachi are the other two.
The Champions Trophy will be making a return to the ICC calendar after seven years.