A new controversy has started regarding the Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan and UAE in February-March. According to TOI, the BCCI does not want Indian players to wear jerseys with the name of Pakistan, the host nation, on them.
Rohit Sharma won’t attend captains’ event in Pakistan
The BCCI is also clear that Indian skipper Rohit Sharma will not travel to Pakistan for the captains’ press conference and photo shoot. A BCCI source shared that the board has asked the ICC to move the twin events (press conference and photo shoot) to Dubai instead of holding them in Pakistan.
“ICC has already agreed to India’s request to not schedule India’s matches in Pakistan, so these are minor issues,” the source told TOI.
PCB is upset with BCCI’s demands
This decision by the BCCI has upset the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is now expecting ICC to step in. A PCB official, speaking anonymously, said,
“The BCCI is mixing politics with cricket, which is not good for the game. They refused to travel to Pakistan, they don’t want their captain to come for the opening ceremony, and now they are reportedly against wearing jerseys with the host nation’s name. We believe ICC will not allow such things and will support Pakistan.”
ICC rules about jerseys
As per ICC rules, not wearing the host nation’s name on jerseys is a violation of the clothing code. It is a tradition in ICC tournaments for all participating teams to display the host nation’s name, even if the matches are held at other venues.
For instance, in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Pakistan’s jersey displayed India’s name as the host, even though the tournament was held in the UAE. Similarly, during the 2016 T20 World Cup and 2023 ODI World Cup held in India, Pakistan’s team wore jerseys with India’s name on them.
Tournament details
This decision by BCCI is likely to increase tensions between BCCI and PCB, especially since India has already refused to travel to Pakistan. India’s matches will be played in the UAE.
The eight-team tournament will begin on February 19 and end on March 9. A total of 15 matches will be hosted across four venues:
- Dubai
- Karachi
- Lahore
- Rawalpindi
