WATCH: Suryakumar Yadav comments on India’s participation in Champions Trophy
India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, recently responded to a fan’s question about why India won’t be touring Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy next year. Yadav, currently leading the Indian team in a tied T20I series in South Africa, was posing for photos with fans when someone asked, “Why aren’t you coming to Pakistan?” With a smile, the 34-year-old replied, “It’s not in our hands.”
Yadav’s comments come amid reports that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially informed the ICC of its decision not to send the Indian team to Pakistan, citing government directives.
In response, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly plans to take firm action by writing to the ICC, seeking a formal explanation from the BCCI for its stance. Sources suggest that the PCB will point to past examples, like the 1996 and 2003 Cricket World Cups, where teams refused to travel to certain countries, yet the ICC did not change tournament locations. For example, in 1996, Australia and the West Indies declined to play in Sri Lanka, and in 2003, New Zealand and England chose not to travel to Kenya and Zimbabwe. In both cases, points were awarded to the opposing teams, but the venues remained the same.
The PCB may use these examples to advocate for a “minus-India” approach, allowing the Champions Trophy to proceed without India if necessary. The PCB has yet to receive a written statement from the BCCI, but the ICC has relayed India’s stance to the PCB in writing. Following this, the PCB has consulted with the government on how to proceed with the issue.
