'Missed opportunity for Indian players': PCB chief expresses disappointment in India over its decision to not play in Pakistan
Mohsin Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has expressed his disappointment over India’s decision not to play their Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. Despite the setback, he remains confident that the event, which marks Pakistan’s first ICC tournament in 29 years, will leave a lasting impact on the country’s cricketing legacy.
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Although Pakistan holds the official hosting rights for the prestigious tournament, India has chosen to play all of its matches in Dubai due to security concerns in Pakistan. Naqvi conveyed his frustration with India’s stance, telling PTI, “We are focussed on delivering a world-class event, but it is undoubtedly disappointing that India is not playing in Pakistan.” He added, “It is disappointing—not just for the PCB, but also for cricket fans worldwide, the ICC, its commercial partners, and the other participating countries that India is not playing in Pakistan.”
Naqvi emphasised that Pakistan has always maintained the principle of keeping politics separate from sports, noting that the country has repeatedly toured India, including in 2011, 2012, 2016, and as recently as 2023. «Naturally, we had hoped that India would reciprocate by participating in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Unfortunately, that has not materialized,» he stated.
In a broader context, the chairman referred to the hybrid model
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