ICC to drop the hammer on Pakistan's Champions Trophy fate this Friday

Jay Shah, Mohsin Naqvi (Pic: AFP/PTI)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet this week to determine the destiny of next year's Champions Trophy after India refused to play in host nation Pakistan, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the ICC informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that India would not tour Pakistan for the eight-team tournament, leaving the fate of the event hanging in the balance. The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent's partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.

A spokesman for the ICC based in Dubai told AFP they could "confirm an ICC meeting on Friday" where the issue will be on the agenda, without providing further details. The PCB has already rejected proposals that would allow India to play in a neutral third country, insisting the full schedule from February 19 to March 9 must be staged on their turf.

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India's cricket board has not commented on the tournament. Deteriorating political ties mean bitter rivals India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series for over a decade -- squaring off only in ICC multi-nation events. Pakistan suffered a years-long drought of matches at home as teams refused to visit after a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore. International play only fully resumed in 2020.

When Pakistan hosted last year's Asia Cup, India's matches were played outside the country. But Pakistani cricket chiefs have rejected security fears for the Champions Trophy, pointing to their recent succesful hosting of top teams including Australia, England and South Africa. The Champions Trophy will be the first ICC event staged in Pakistan since it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

(With agency inputs)