LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has expressed confidence that the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy would be held in the country and all teams, including arch-rivals India, would participate in the tournament, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported on Monday.
The 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to start on February 19, and the final is on March 9. Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi have been earmarked as the venues. India hasn’t sent its team to Pakistan since July 2008 due to tense political relations between the two countries.
“The Indian team should come. I don’t see them cancel or postpone coming here and we are confident we will host all the teams in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan,” Mohsin said. He also said that Pakistan was prepared to host all the teams including India and preparations were on schedule.
“The stadiums will also be ready to host the matches on schedule and any remaining work would be completed after the tournament,” he added. Mohsin said the stadiums would “definitely” be in a much better shape to host the tournament in February-March.
Asked about Babar Azam’s recent resignation from Pakistan’s white-ball captaincy and about his potential replacement, the PCB chief said he had told the selection committee to take their time and make a long-term decision.
“I have told them to take a decision after careful consideration because the captain’s position is important,” said Mohsin. He also said he had inquired from the selection committee including the captain and head coach of the teams whether it was the right time to introduce some fresh blood in the national sides. “They said they are okay with the current set-up of players so I told them ‘fine, it is your call’,” he added.
Meanwhile, England finished the second day of the first Test in Multan on a solid 96-1 on Tuesday in reply to Pakistan’s mammoth 556 that was boosted by a fiery century from Agha Salman. The tourists lost stand-in skipper Ollie Pope for a second-ball duck before Zak Crawley and Joe Root steadied the innings with 64 and 32 respectively at stumps.
It was another tough day for bowlers as an unbeaten 104 from Salman and 82 by Saud Shakeel swelled Pakistan’s total, which was set up by Shan Masood’s 151 and Abdullah Shafique’s 102 on Monday. Pope, standing in for injured skipper Ben Stokes, was smartly caught by a leaping Aamer Jamal who plucked an uppish pull shot off pacer Naseem Shah with one hand at mid-wicket.
He had been drafted in to open the batting after Ben Duckett injured his left thumb taking a catch at the end of the Pakistan innings. England need another 261 to avoid a follow-on — a task eminently achievable on a pitch offering no help to bowlers.
Salman built on the good work of Shakeel and Naseem in the afternoon, reaching his third century with a single off spinner Jack Leach soon after the tea interval. Salman, who also completed 1,000 Test runs during this knock when he reached 71, added a rapid 85 for the ninth wicket with Shaheen Shah Afridi, who scored 26.
In all, Salman cracked 10 boundaries and three sixes in his 119-ball knock — surviving a catch by Chris Woakes when the third umpire declared the fielder’s foot went beyond the rope. “It’s always satisfying to hit a century and contribute to the team’s total,” said Salman, who hoped the pitch would take spin in the next three days.
“I think cracks will open on this pitch and that will help spinners, I see this as a result-oriented pitch as both the teams will go for a result.” Salman added an invaluable 57 runs for the seventh wicket with Shakeel, who was caught smartly by Root at slip off Bashir for 82. Shakeel hit eight fours.
Leach was the most successful England bowler with 3-160, while Gus Atkinson finished with 2-99. Woakes, Shoaib Bashir and Root took one wicket apiece.
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