NEW DELHI: The
Pakistan Cricket Board
(PCB) is optimistic about hosting the
Champions Trophy
next year, as a delegation from the
International Cricket Council
(
ICC
) is scheduled to arrive in the country on Monday to assess the ongoing preparations for the prestigious tournament.
The delegation, which will include a security expert, will visit all the proposed venues, with special attention given to Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
This event marks Pakistan’s return to hosting an ICC tournament for the first time since it co-hosted a portion of the 1996 World Cup with India.
“The delegation will be given briefings on the preparations. They will visit the venues in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi to see the upgradation work we will be carrying out for the Champions Trophy,”
Pakistan
Cricket Board (PCB) chairman
Mohsin Naqvi
said in Lahore on Sunday.
Last month, a delegation from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) also visited Pakistan to assess the security and other arrangements for their team’s upcoming tour to the country in mid-April, which includes five T20 Internationals.
Naqvi reiterated the commitment to hold the Champions Trophy as scheduled in Pakistan.
Asked if Pakistan would consider a tit for tat response if the Indian government refused to send its team to Pakistan, Naqvi said “why are we even discussing such possibilities”.
“We had a good meeting in Dubai on the tournament and its technical side and as far as we are concerned we see no reason the event would not be held in Pakistan so why even discuss other scenarios,” he added.
India had refused to send its team for the
Asia Cup
last year in August which led to a number of matches being moved to Sri Lanka.
(With PTI inputs)