ICC delegation not happy with PCB's arrangement for Champions Trophy 2025? Dark clouds loom large after fresh update from Pakistan

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is all set to send its delegation to check up on all security arrangements required to conduct next year’s Champions Trophy smoothly. The delegation consisting of some high-ranked officials will visit Karachi and Rawalpindi – the two main venues of the tournament before sitting down with new PCB chief and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

It will be the first time since 1996 that Pakistan will be hosting an ICC event and it will be the 3rd time overall that Pakistan welcomes an International tournament. The country had co-hosted the 50-over Cricket World Cups on two occasions along with neighboring country India, back in 1987 for the first time and then in 1996. In both of those editions, either India (1983) or Pakistan (1992) had won the WC 4 years before hosting the event each time.

The Green Army will enter the 2025 Champions Trophy as the reigning champions having won the tournament in its last edition back in 2017. Pakistan were then led by Sarfaraz Ahmed and under his captaincy, the team had defeated arch-rivals India who were playing an ICC event for the first time under Virat Kohli.

ICC officials to inspect stadiums in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore and then share a major report

Trusted sources from the ICC have informed us that the organization’s Senior Event Operations Manager Sarah Iger will be joined by Event Operations Manager Aoun Mohammad Zaidi in their inspection of the venues.

Iger and Zaidi after inspecting the National Stadium in Karachi, will head over to check the Rawalpindi stadium where ICC’s Head of Events Chris Tetley is also expected to join the entourage.

The trio of ICC officials after checking everything at the Rawalpindi stadium, will sit down for a meeting with Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday for further assessment. After the meeting, Iger, Zaidi, and Tetley will prepare a full-fledged report on the security as well as other required arrangements before handing it over to all the teams that are going to be traveling for the Champions Trophy.

Any team that might not head over there for the tournament will of course be India due to their strained relationship with the nation. The Men in Blue may play their group matches in UAE as part of a Hybrid Model, something that was implemented last year as well for the 50-over Asia Cup.

Rohit Sharma’s side had played the entire group stage, knockouts, and finale at the Colombo stadium in Sri Lanka. But with this being an ICC event, following a hybrid model could be tough but with the type of power BCCI contains, India’s matches could be shifted to UAE.

Pakistan begin their National Camp in Kakul

Meanwhile, ICC’s security check-ups coincide with the Pakistan National team’s first National Camp of the season, which is going to be held in the army regiment of Kakul. The chief selectors will be watching over the players and have handed returns to players like Imad Wasim and Mohammed Amir after they impressed in PSL 9. After the camp, Pakistan will welcome New Zealand for a 5-match T20I series before flying over to England in May and then to the USA and West Indies for the T20 World Cup.