The Fort Worth Press - Politics v cricket leaves Champions Trophy up in the air

USD -
AED 3.673042
AFN 68.112673
ALL 94.198378
AMD 389.366092
ANG 1.801814
AOA 913.000367
ARS 1003.735016
AUD 1.538462
AWG 1.8025
AZN 1.70397
BAM 1.877057
BBD 2.018523
BDT 119.468305
BGN 1.87679
BHD 0.376794
BIF 2953.116752
BMD 1
BND 1.347473
BOB 6.908201
BRL 5.801041
BSD 0.99976
BTN 84.384759
BWP 13.658045
BYN 3.27175
BYR 19600
BZD 2.015164
CAD 1.39805
CDF 2871.000362
CHF 0.893615
CLF 0.035441
CLP 977.925332
CNY 7.243041
CNH 7.25914
COP 4389.749988
CRC 509.237487
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 105.825615
CZK 24.326204
DJF 178.031575
DKK 7.158304
DOP 60.252411
DZD 134.221412
EGP 49.650175
ERN 15
ETB 122.388982
EUR 0.95985
FJD 2.27595
FKP 0.789317
GBP 0.798053
GEL 2.740391
GGP 0.789317
GHS 15.795384
GIP 0.789317
GMD 71.000355
GNF 8617.496041
GTQ 7.717261
GYD 209.15591
HKD 7.78445
HNL 25.264168
HRK 7.133259
HTG 131.234704
HUF 395.000354
IDR 15943.55
ILS 3.70204
IMP 0.789317
INR 84.43625
IQD 1309.659773
IRR 42075.000352
ISK 139.680386
JEP 0.789317
JMD 159.268679
JOD 0.709104
JPY 154.770385
KES 129.468784
KGS 86.503799
KHR 4025.145161
KMF 472.503794
KPW 899.999621
KRW 1404.510383
KWD 0.30785
KYD 0.833149
KZT 499.179423
LAK 21959.786938
LBP 89526.368828
LKR 290.973655
LRD 180.450118
LSL 18.040693
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.882192
MAD 10.057392
MDL 18.23504
MGA 4666.25078
MKD 59.052738
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3397.999946
MOP 8.015644
MRU 39.77926
MUR 46.850378
MVR 15.460378
MWK 1733.576467
MXN 20.428504
MYR 4.468039
MZN 63.910377
NAD 18.040693
NGN 1696.703725
NIO 36.786794
NOK 11.072604
NPR 135.016076
NZD 1.714237
OMR 0.384846
PAB 0.99976
PEN 3.790969
PGK 4.025145
PHP 58.939038
PKR 277.626662
PLN 4.16352
PYG 7804.59715
QAR 3.646048
RON 4.778204
RSD 112.294256
RUB 104.308748
RWF 1364.748788
SAR 3.754429
SBD 8.383555
SCR 13.699038
SDG 601.503676
SEK 11.036204
SGD 1.346604
SHP 0.789317
SLE 22.730371
SLL 20969.504736
SOS 571.332598
SRD 35.494038
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.748021
SYP 2512.529858
SZL 18.034455
THB 34.480369
TJS 10.647152
TMT 3.5
TND 3.17616
TOP 2.342104
TRY 34.552504
TTD 6.790153
TWD 32.583504
TZS 2659.340659
UAH 41.35995
UGX 3694.035222
UYU 42.516436
UZS 12825.951341
VES 46.55914
VND 25419
VUV 118.722009
WST 2.791591
XAF 629.547483
XAG 0.031938
XAU 0.000369
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.760497
XOF 629.547483
XPF 114.458467
YER 249.925037
ZAR 18.15566
ZMK 9001.203587
ZMW 27.617448
ZWL 321.999592
  • RELX

    0.9900

    46.75

    +2.12%

  • GSK

    0.2600

    33.96

    +0.77%

  • RIO

    -0.2200

    62.35

    -0.35%

  • AZN

    1.3700

    65.63

    +2.09%

  • RBGPF

    59.2400

    59.24

    +100%

  • NGG

    1.0296

    63.11

    +1.63%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0100

    6.79

    -0.15%

  • BTI

    0.4000

    37.38

    +1.07%

  • BP

    0.2000

    29.72

    +0.67%

  • CMSC

    0.0320

    24.672

    +0.13%

  • SCS

    0.2300

    13.27

    +1.73%

  • BCC

    3.4200

    143.78

    +2.38%

  • VOD

    0.1323

    8.73

    +1.52%

  • CMSD

    0.0150

    24.46

    +0.06%

  • BCE

    0.0900

    26.77

    +0.34%

  • JRI

    -0.0200

    13.21

    -0.15%

Politics v cricket leaves Champions Trophy up in the air
Politics v cricket leaves Champions Trophy up in the air / Photo: © AFP

Politics v cricket leaves Champions Trophy up in the air

India has reportedly said its men's cricket team will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next year, throwing the event into turmoil.

Text size:

AFP looks at the burning questions surrounding the issue:

- What is the Champions Trophy? -

It is the premier one-day competition after the World Cup with Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa competing.

The previous edition was held in England and Wales in 2017, with Pakistan defeating arch-rivals India in the final at the Oval.

The tournament is under the auspices of the International Cricket Council, the sport's governing body.

The first Champions Trophy -- albeit bearing a different name -- was held in 1998 and next year's will be its ninth edition.

- Where is it supposed to be and when? -

As things currently stand, the tournament is supposed to run from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan. No match schedule has been released because of the uncertainty.

Three cities are in line to host matches -- Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi -- for what would be Pakistan's first time to host a global ICC event since 1996.

- Why is there uncertainty? -

Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Sami Ul Hasan told AFP that the PCB had received an email from the ICC saying that India will not travel to the country for the event.

PCB chairman Moshin Naqvi has previously ruled out the possibility of a hybrid event that would see India play its matches at neutral venues, for example in the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan visited India for last year's ODI World Cup and the PCB had expected the gesture to be reciprocated for the Champions Trophy.

Last year's Asia Cup in Pakistan took place under a hybrid model with India playing their matches -- including the final -- in Sri Lanka instead.

- What are the politics? -

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent's partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.

Deteriorating political ties have meant the bitter rivals have not played a bilateral cricket series for over a decade.

India and Pakistan have only faced off in ICC multi-nation events.

India last visited Pakistan in 2008, for the Asia Cup.

- What next? -

India's powerful cricket body, the BCCI, has not made any public comment. Likewise, the ICC, where the BCCI carries great sway.

India cricket chief Jay Shah will take over as chairman of the ICC next month.

Indian and Pakistani media have speculated about how the impasse could be broken, but taking India out of the equation does not appear to be on the cards.

Any cricket match between the two is among the most watched events on the global sporting calendar.

"If you play the Champions Trophy without India or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren't there, and we need to protect them," England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould said last month.

He added: "This is a big moment for Pakistan, and hopefully we can have the fullest possible competition in Pakistan.

"If that's not possible, we know there are options available."

T.Dixon--TFWP