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The ICC getting tangled in the Champions Trophy controversy has surprised many Pakistan fans. Shouldn’t their focus be on promoting cricket and staying neutral rather than dipping their toes into politics? At the end of the day, their job is to govern the sport globally, not to navigate geopolitical disputes.
Look at what’s happening now with the PCB and BCCI over ICC Champions Trophy 2025. India refuses to travel to Pakistan, citing security concerns and territorial disputes, and it’s turned into a diplomatic mess. Instead of calming things down, the ICC seems to have made it worse.
We’ve seen this before. Remember the Asia Cup 2023? India didn’t want to play in Pakistan, so their matches were held in Sri Lanka. It avoided a complete boycott, sure, but it didn’t solve the underlying issues. And if we go back to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, cricket ties between the two countries have been shaky ever since.
The core issues here are pretty clear. First, there’s the whole territorial dispute, with talk of Azad Jammu and Kashmir cities being included in the tour plans. Then there’s India’s argument about security risks, which—let’s be honest—might be as much about politics as safety. And finally, the ICC itself. Shouldn’t it stay neutral and focus on cricket instead of being dragged into this political tug-of-war?
This isn’t unique to cricket. The International Criminal Court, for example, has faced similar criticism for getting caught up in politics, especially in cases involving African nations. The ICC could learn a thing or two from their mistakes to avoid damaging its credibility.
So, what’s the way forward? For starters, the ICC has to stay neutral. That should be non-negotiable. They also need to play the role of mediator and push the PCB and BCCI to talk things out. And if the tournament does happen, security has to be rock-solid for all teams. That’s a given.
But here’s the real question: Can the ICC manage to stay above the fray, or is cricket always going to have politics hanging over it?
Look at what’s happening now with the PCB and BCCI over ICC Champions Trophy 2025. India refuses to travel to Pakistan, citing security concerns and territorial disputes, and it’s turned into a diplomatic mess. Instead of calming things down, the ICC seems to have made it worse.
We’ve seen this before. Remember the Asia Cup 2023? India didn’t want to play in Pakistan, so their matches were held in Sri Lanka. It avoided a complete boycott, sure, but it didn’t solve the underlying issues. And if we go back to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, cricket ties between the two countries have been shaky ever since.
The core issues here are pretty clear. First, there’s the whole territorial dispute, with talk of Azad Jammu and Kashmir cities being included in the tour plans. Then there’s India’s argument about security risks, which—let’s be honest—might be as much about politics as safety. And finally, the ICC itself. Shouldn’t it stay neutral and focus on cricket instead of being dragged into this political tug-of-war?
This isn’t unique to cricket. The International Criminal Court, for example, has faced similar criticism for getting caught up in politics, especially in cases involving African nations. The ICC could learn a thing or two from their mistakes to avoid damaging its credibility.
So, what’s the way forward? For starters, the ICC has to stay neutral. That should be non-negotiable. They also need to play the role of mediator and push the PCB and BCCI to talk things out. And if the tournament does happen, security has to be rock-solid for all teams. That’s a given.
But here’s the real question: Can the ICC manage to stay above the fray, or is cricket always going to have politics hanging over it?