• Source:JND
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ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Controversy: The Pakistan Cricket Board finally were forced to restrict the tour of the Champions Trophy to the three host cities of Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) filed an objection with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the PCB move to include Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the tour itinerary.

Pakistan had made a surprising move by announcing the ICC Champions Trophy tour on social media. Taking to their official X account, PCB wrote: “Get ready, Pakistan! The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour kicks off in Islamabad on 16 November, also visiting scenic travel destinations like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad. Catch a glimpse of the trophy which Sarfaraz Ahmed lifted in 2017 at The Oval, from 16-24 November.”

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The move triggered a massive outrage including an understandable reaction from the BCCI as secretary Jay Shah lodged a protest with the ICC.

“PCB is already in discussions with the ICC on how to proceed with the trophy tour to ensure the Champions Trophy is continued to be promoted in Pakistan,” a PCB source was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

“The ICC Champions Trophy tour was planned in consultation and with the approval of the ICC. The PCB had not unilaterally finalised the trophy tour schedule,” the source said.

A top BCCI official said that Jay Shah, who is set to take over as ICC Chairman on December 1, conveyed it to the ICC that it was unacceptable that the PCB was planning a trophy tour in PoK.

“BCCI secretary Shah has objected to the PCB’s idea to hold a Champions Trophy tour in PoK. The BCCI has no problem if the tour is conducted in any other city of Pakistan or even in a stadium outside PoK or in a mall. But they cannot hold it in PoK,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying.

Notably, Pakistan are the dedicated hosts for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a tournament that they won in its last edition which was played way back in 2017.

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The tournament has been in the middle of a huge controversy ever since the BCCI asked for its games to be shifted to Dubai because of security concerns, but the PCB has not agreed to the demand.

The top eight teams of the world will take part in next year’s 50-overs Champions Trophy which will run from February 19 to March 9 with Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi as host cities.