The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah raised a strong objection to the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced it would conduct an ICC Champions Trophy tour in their country that also includes disputed areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).  Earlier, the PCB shared a post on social media (formerly Twitter) where they announced the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tour from November 16 to November 24. ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Trophy Tour to Start in Pakistan's Islamabad on November 16 Amid Scheduling Issues.

PCB faced heavy backlash for including destinations like Skardu, Murree, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad, which are regions of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The announcement came after several media reports claimed that the BCCI has refused to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming ICC tournament. The Skardu, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad are the regions of Pok, which the Indian government has time and again claimed to be part of their territory. According to a report by The Times of India, BCCI secretary Jay Shah has objected to PCB's tweet regarding the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tour in the disputed regions of PoK. ICC Thwarts PCB’s Plan To Conduct Champions Trophy Tour in Disputed PoK Territories After Indian Cricket Team's Refusal to Travel to Pakistan: Reports.

"Jay Shah has objected to that tweet [post] and has criticised and condemned PCB's plan to take the trophy to Pok cities. Additionally, PCB has no business sharing the schedule because it has to come from the ICC. Things need to be done appropriately, via appropriate channels," says a source to TOI. It has also been reported that the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 might be played in a hybrid model with Team India matches being played in the United Arab Emirates or Sri Lanka. ICC Launches Logo for Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, Cricket's Governing Body Shares New Visual Identity for Men’s and Women’s CT Amid Scheduling Crisis Over Upcoming Edition.

However, PCB have reportedly insisted that the Champions Trophy should be played in Pakistan even if the BCCI does not want to send the Indian cricket team to compete in the mega-tournament. Amid the ongoing tensions between the BCCI and PCB, the ICC is yet to make any official announcement regarding the Champions Trophy 2025.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 15, 2024 06:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).