While the window for the eight-team ODI tournament has been scheduled between February 19 and March, the ICC has also not formally announced the dates and schedule. Normally, for a global tournament, the ICC has in the past announced the schedule 100 days before the event.
The reason for the delay is the Indian government’s refusal to grant Rohit Sharma’s team permission to travel to Pakistan. That decision was communicated to the ICC fifteen days ago. The PCB, which was awarded hosting rights for the Champions Trophy in 2021, subsequently wrote to the ICC raising several questions about the exact reasons the BCCI had given and when they informed the ICC. According to a PCB official, they have not received a response from the ICC till date.
PCB president Mohsin Naqvi has been adamant about organizing the entire tournament in Pakistan, in three venues: Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. Last week he said he would be open to a dialogue with the BCCI to break the deadlock. An ICC spokesperson confirmed Friday’s meeting, but the PCB has not made any comment so far.
The ICC Board is composed of representatives of the 12 full member countries, three Associate representatives, an independent director together with the president and the chief executive of ICC.
