LAHORE: Announcing that the Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday that all the teams are ready to come to Pakistan for playing the event.
“If India has reservations, then it should talk to the PCB,” Mohsin Naqvi told media men outside Qadhafi Stadium, here today.
The PCB Chairman said the ICC has to think about its credibility. Hopefully, the ICC will announce the schedule soon and in this regard the PCB is in contact with the ICC. It may be noted that the ICC Champions Trophy is scheduled from February 19 to March 9.
Mohsin Naqvi said that sports and politics are different things and India is still expected to do wisely. “No one can give us tough time,” he said, adding: “All the teams are ready to come to Pakistan for playing Champions Trophy.”
To a query, he said former pacer Aqib Javed will remain the head coach till Champions Trophy.
Moreover, the PCB Monday formally announced the appointment of Aqib Javed, a former international fast bowler, as the interim head
coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
During this tenure, Aqib will continue to serve as a senior member of the men’s National Selection Committee, and will be assigned additional responsibilities following the conclusion of the eight-team tournament.
Meanwhile, the PCB will initiate the recruitment process for a permanent white-ball head coach, aiming to complete the appointment by the end of the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled from February 19 to March 9.
The white-ball coaching role had become vacant following the resignation of Gary Kirsten. Red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie had coached the side during the recent tour of Australia, who will now rejoin the side for the upcoming two-Test series in South Africa.
The Pakistan men’s side is scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Zimbabwe (November 24 to December 5) and as many white-ball matches in South Africa (December 10-22). In the lead up to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan will host New Zealand and South Africa for an ODI triangular series from February 8-14.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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