Shoaib Akhtar said that Team India and Virat Kohli would be more eager to play in Pakistan than the host nation for television and sponsorship reasons. Akhtar remarked on the tension between the two countries on the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Pakistan will host the ICC tournament, but the BCCI has refused to send the Indian team due to security concerns. The PCB has rejected India’s request to host the Champions Trophy in a hybrid model.
However, the PCB agreed to the hybrid model but wants the same format for the ICC events scheduled in India until 2031.
“India and Virat Kohli are dying more than Pakistan to play in Pakistan. I had worked with the BCCI, and if their team lands in Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, their TV rights and sponsorship are going to break all the records,” he said on local television.
“Virat Kohli and BCCI dying to play in Pakistan.”
Shoaib Akhtar ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/r7RamVY2fT
— Abu Bakar Tarar (@abubakartarar_) December 4, 2024
Mohammed Hafeez asked Akhtar about the possible reasons behind India’s refusal despite the benefits, to which he said:
“Their government doesn’t want the team to play in Pakistan.”
India haven’t played in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, while the Men in Green’s last bilateral series in India happened in 2012-13.
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