ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan issue a new threat through veterans after India's denial

Former Pakistan cricketers Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq have slammed the BCCI's decision not to send the Indian team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Miandad even claimed that there will be no revenue in ICC tournaments in the absence of India and Pakistan.

Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) cleared its stance on India's travel for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that India will not travel to Pakistan for the tournament.

The BCCI claimed that it is the decision of the Indian government not to allow the Indian team to travel to the neighoring country. After the news became official, several former cricketers from Pakistan expressed their displeasure and slammed the decision.

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Javed Miandad slams India's refusal to travel to Pakistan

Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq are among those former players to have expressed their displeasure over India's stance for Champions Trophy 2025. Miandad called the whole saga a "joke" and claimed that Pakistan cricket will survive and grow even without playing against India.

The former batter even argued that there will be no revenue in ICC events in the absence of India and Pakistan.

“It is a joke that this is happening. Even if we don’t play India at all, Pakistan cricket will not only survive but prosper as well as we have shown in the past. I would like to see how the ICC events earn money when there are no Pakistan and India matches,” Javed Miandad said.

Javed Miandad has always been vocal of India-Pakistan matches. Regarded as one of the best of his generation, Miandad has a huge name in Pakistan cricket and has brought laurels to his country on several occasions.

"They are depriving cricket of such a big occasion" - Inzamam-ul-Haq

Meanwhile, Inzamam-ul-Haq denied any threat to the Indian team on Pakistani soil and claimed that cricket is being affected this way. He even claimed Pakistan to provide the best hospitality if India travels to Pakistan for ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

“They are depriving cricket of such a big occasion. There is no threat to the Indian team in Pakistan. In fact, they would get the best hospitality here,” Inzamam-ul-Haq said.

Just like Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq too has spoken in favor of the Indian team visiting Pakistan on several occasions. Known as one of the best batters of his time, Inzamam has served as Pakistan's captain and also the chief selector in PCB before.

Hybrid model for ICC Champions Trophy 2025?

With India unlikely to travel to Pakistan, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is likely to be held in a hybrid model. UAE is the frontrunner to host the tournament alongside Pakistan if this happens. However, the PCB is not ready to accept the hybrid model yet.

Before India's refusal to send their team to Pakistan, Mohsin Naqvi had clearly stated that Pakistan is not ready to host the tournament in a hybrid model and he expressed his confidence to host the whole tournament in Pakistan.

With less than 100 days to go for the start of the tournament, the ICC finds itself in a precarious position because of the strained political relations between India and Pakistan, two of its leading Full Members.