Shahid Afridi’s EXPLOSIVE reaction on Champions Trophy 2025, says ‘no reason to play in India if…’
The impasse over the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is continuing with India refusing to tour Pakistan – the hosts of the tournament – and the International Cricket Council (ICC) yet to accept Pakistan Cricket Board’s demands, which they have made in response to plans for organizing the event with a ‘hybrid’ model. Pakistan have demanded a similar ‘hybrid’ model for all ICC events in India for the next couple of year as well as a tri-series involving India and Pakistan and one other team.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi finally opened up on the Champions Trophy 2025 and urged PCB to keep a ‘firm stance’ when it comes to maintaining ties with India.
“Pakistan cricket should be strong and self-sufficient and take strong principled decisions. If India can’t come and play in Pakistan then there is no reason for us to go and play any event in India,” Afridi said, speaking at the Urdu conference at the Karachi Arts Council.
The Champions Trophy 2025 is slated to take place in Pakistan between January and March next year. India has refused to play its Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan and instead demanded the tournament be played in a ‘hybrid model’, which would allow them to play their matches at a neutral venue.
According to a top International Cricket Council (ICC) source, the global governing body for the sport has reached a consensus to conduct the Champions Trophy in a hybrid model, allowing India to play its share of matches in Dubai while agreeing ‘in principle’ to a similar arrangement in multi-lateral events till 2027.
Shahid Afridi views on Champions Trophy . #ChampionsTrophy2025 #CT25pic.twitter.com/0gjRoSLNEa
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“Even the ICC now has to decide whether its responsibility is to ensure every member nation gets to play cricket or it just wants to make money,” Afridi added.
Afridi, who is the father-in-law of pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, believes Pakistan cricket’s biggest problem is that policies change with every new chairman.
“When Shaheen was made Pakistan T20 captain I was against it and I said that the board should have made Mohammad Rizwan the captain as he was the best choice. But once they made Shaheen captain it was also wrong for the PCB to remove him as captain after just one series. It affected him,” he said.