Former India player Aakash Chopra has added that the International Cricket Council (ICC) might have to decide whether Pakistan
can host the Champions Trophy 2025 fully. He stated that the stadiums in Pakistan are reportedly not yet ready and that the ICC could risk the safety and security of the players as well. While the Champions Trophy 2025 is slated to be played in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 onwards. While India are supposed to play all their games in Dubai, rest of the matches are to be hosted in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “The truth is that their grounds are not getting ready at all. The best part I like is their sense of humor. Their reporters make very good videos. There is an undertone that they won’t be able to get anything ready. They are far behind the deadline. No matter how many people you employ, it will need the required time. Pakistan is way behind the deadline. The videos always come about the Gaddafi Stadium. If your grounds are still not ready, if you don’t hand them over to the ICC on January 31 or give them underprepared, the ICC may have to take a call at some stage whether it’s right or wrong. Are we risking safety and security?”
ALSO READ: “I think Virat Kohli is the only option” – AB de Villiers backs Kohli as RCB captain for IPL 2025
While talking about that there is still some time left before the start of the Champions Trophy 2025, Aakash Chopra shared that the ICC might
have to assess soon whether this needs to be shifted to the UAE.
“20 days might still remain after that but the assessment will still have to be done whether they should keep it there only as Dubai is ready. The UAE is fully ready, you can add Sharjah and Abu Dhabi also to that. So it’s going to be a big question whether Pakistan will be able to get ready. I am not going to focus on the unnecessary gossip, about whether Rohit will go or not for the photoshoot, whether India will write Pakistan on their jerseys, and all of that, but the real thing is whether Pakistan will get ready in time to host the tournament,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
