The main issue now concerning the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy to be hosted in Pakistan is whether India will send its team for the event. The International Cricket Council (ICC) board meets today to consider the future of the tournament, and this situation has created much tension over what may be a long-term stalemate in cricket.
The current impasse recalls several previous instances when teams were barred from participation in ICC tournaments over security, political, or logistical issues. The most archetypical case dates back to the 1996 Men’s Cricket World Cup itself when Australia and the West Indies deserted Sri Lanka over apparent security fears in the wake of a bomb blast in Colombo. The two teams forfeited their respective points, and Sri Lanka walked into the semi-finals.
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In an act of solidarity, a combined India-Pakistan touring XI went to Sri Lanka to show that the country is safe to host the World Cup. Sri Lanka winning the 1996 World Cup, which ended India with a famous victory in Lahore over Australia, will forever remain a testament to the fact that the tournament never really got off on a good note.
A similar example occurred during the World Cup in 2003, during which South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya hosted the tournament jointly. England refused to travel to Zimbabwe, citing security concerns based on the country’s political upheaval. New Zealand did the same as well, refusing to fly to Kenya for its fixtures, which prompted the ICC to award the respective points to Zimbabwe and Kenya. However, this did not prevent either Zimbabwe or Kenya from figuring among the top six teams of the tournament, with Kenya even making it to the semifinals in a tale worthy of an underdog.
In recent times, New Zealand announced its withdrawal from the 2022 ICC U-19 World Cup, owing to enormous mandatory quarantine restrictions on minors while coming back home as a result of its bringing up the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to the calling up of Scotland, the next-ranked team, in the replacement for New Zealand. This is another case whereby a team withdrew from an ICC tournament, and the world governing body of cricket adjusted and continued with the tournament.
Among matters raised by the ongoing events regarding the Champions Trophy was the issue of financial interests in the affairs of international cricket. According to Aatif Nawaz, a commentator with BBC’s Test Match Special, “The cricket world must support Pakistan if it is to escape exposure of being in it for purely commercial purposes and demands.”
He further added that if Pakistan were to be persuaded to come to India to play matches, then the “spirit of the game” would be defeated because it would portray that money dictated rather than sporting purity.
While thunderous attention is being accorded to the announcement regarding the Champions Trophy, the apparent reality is that it stands to have consequences, however, more generally, for the future of international cricket. Development for the sport in the international arena is not going to be by fulfilling the aims of the few. If the interests of a few are allowed to dominate, the vision of cricket as a truly global sport will remain out of reach.