Indian cricket team unlikely to visit Pakistan for Champions Trophy; Omar Abdullah reacts – The Statesman

The Indian national cricket team is unlikely to visit Pakistan for the International Cricket Council  (ICC) Champions Trophy.

According to sources, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to ask the ICC to shift its Champions Trophy matches to a neutral venue, which may be Dubai or Sri Lanka.

The ICC Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held in Pakistan from February to March next year. India has not played any game of cricket in Pakistan since 2008 due to tense relations between the two countries.

Earlier this year, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla, had made it clear that the Indian cricket team will travel to Pakistan only if the Government of India allows it. “We will go according to the decision of the Indian government,” Shukla had said.

Reacting to the development, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that there is nothing new in this as both countries have not played a bilateral match for many years.

Terming it a decision of the BCCI, Abdullah said that it is not just India’s responsibility to establish better relations between the two neighbours and that Pakistan too needs to play its role.

In view of the recent terrorist attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said that Pakistan needs to take responsibility and such attacks should not happen.

“The kind of attacks that are happening should not happen, the kind of atmosphere that is there, should not be there, Pakistan will also have to play its role in this so that the relations between the two countries improve,” he asserted.