Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif said India will have to provide a “logical answer” to the World governing body if they refuse to travel to Pakistan for next year’s Champions Trophy, and the decision of not participating in an ICC event can “backfire”. Sources told IANS earlier that Team India might not participate in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. There are discussions about potentially shifting the venue for the event or considering a hybrid model, it said. It is learnt that the Pakistan Cricket Board has proposed to the International Cricket Council (ICC) that India’s qualifying round matches during the Champions Trophy next year be scheduled exclusively in one city.

Reacting to this, Rashid Latif told IANS, “You can refuse the bilateral series. But it will be tough to refuse ICC events. When ICC chalk out its plan, the teams know where they have to play, like Pakistan knew that they have to go to India to play the World Cup, and contracts are signed accordingly for cricket boards.”

“It seems a bit tough to refuse ICC events… In the 1996 World Cup, Australia and West Indies refused to go to Sri Lanka and the entire group changed and Sri Lanka became the champion. This was a very big mistake… If India or Pakistan has signed in, they will have to go for that event. If any circumstances occur on a government level, then you have to provide a logical answer as to why not coming. You can refuse the bilateral series citing the conditions in Pakistan are not right etc etc… In my opinion, refusing an ICC event can backfire,” the former wicketkeeper-batter added.

According to information received, the PCB has, meanwhile, selected Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore as the venues for the event, with Lahore hosting the final match.

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