If India don't come... - Ex-Pakistan captain fires stern message to ICC over BCCI's stance on Champions Trophy 2025

Former Pakistan cricket team captain Salman Butt has shared his views on the controversy surrounding India's potential participation in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Butt urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to be overly concerned with India's decision to travel to Pakistan for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The former Pakistan skipper has emphasized that it is the responsibility of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ensure that all participating teams, including India, honor their commitments and visit Pakistan for the ICC tournament.

Salman Butt calls for ICC neutrality amid India's potential Champions Trophy 2025 dilemma

India's reluctance to tour Pakistan has been a longstanding issue, with their last visit to the Asian country being in 2008 during the Asia Cup. Last year, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) had to adopt a hybrid model for the 2023 Asia Cup after BCCI declined to send their team to Pakistan for the tournament.

However, the Pakistan team had visited India for the ODI World Cup 2023. Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Jay Shah has already assured that India's senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami will participate in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2024, but he has not made any comment about traveling to Pakistan for the event.

Reacting to Shah’s statement, Butt stressed that Pakistan should not read too much into the BCCI secretary’s comments until a final decision is made and let the ICC handle the situation, as it is not the PCB's concern.

He said that if the Indian cricket team visits Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2024, they will be welcomed openheartedly, and if they maintain their past stance, then it will show how much authority the ICC has as a governing body.

If India doesn't come for Champions Trophy 2025, the ICC has to deal with it: Salman Butt

Salman Butt said on his YouTube Channel: “If they come, then they welcome, if they don't, the ICC has to deal with it. We will find out if they can just deal with all the other countries or can do the same with India as well. It will show how much authority they have as a regulator and how neutral they can be. We try sensationalizing everything.”

Butt argued that the ICC has to deal with the BCCI and India if they don’t want to visit Pakistan for the upcoming tournament, but the PCB should not let them shift the tournament from the country, saying this situation would show how neutral the global cricket body can be.

The former skipper further said, “There have been a few reports suggesting that Jay Shah has given a positive signal. However, I don't think he's given any signals. I wouldn't have been excited even if there had been a signal from him because it is the ICC's duty to ensure that all teams visit Pakistan. Pakistan should not be worried about who is coming and who is not.”

They should be concerned about making the event a success and providing good venues, hotels and security. There are no problems with these things, that is why teams have been visiting Pakistan in the last couple of years. So, if India decides anything else, it is for the ICC to counter, not for us.”