The Indian government has barred Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma from visiting Pakistan to attend the ICC Champions Trophy ceremony, which is scheduled to take place next month, according to a report from a private TV channel on Wednesday.
Sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Sharma was initially set to travel to Pakistan for the trophy unveiling and media conference ahead of the Champions Trophy, which is set to be held in mid-February. All participating team captains are expected to attend the event as part of the lead-up to the prestigious ICC tournament.
The Champions Trophy is an International Cricket Council (ICC) event, and as per the Times of India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested that the event be moved to Dubai so that Rohit Sharma can attend. This request has reportedly frustrated the PCB.
“ICC has already accommodated India’s request not to schedule its Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, so these are minor issues,” a source told the Indian newspaper.
Another point of contention is the BCCI’s reluctance to have “Pakistan” printed on the Indian team’s jersey, despite it being a requirement under ICC regulations. According to these rules, the host country’s name should appear on the jerseys of all participating teams. The BCCI has asked for an exception, as the Indian team will be playing their matches in Dubai instead of Pakistan.
A PCB official reacted strongly, saying, “The BCCI is bringing politics into cricket, which is not at all good for the game. They refused to travel to Pakistan. They don’t want to send their captain for the opening ceremony. Now, there are reports that they don’t want the host nation’s (Pakistan) name printed on their jerseys. We believe that the world governing body (ICC) will not let this happen and will support Pakistan.”
It is worth noting that during the 2021 T20 World Cup, which was held in the UAE, the Pakistan team had “India” written on their jerseys. If India follows through on its stance regarding the Champions Trophy jersey, it may be in violation of the ICC’s Code of Conduct.
The highly anticipated Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19.
