Champions Trophy tour begins on Saturday, without Muzaffarabad in first leg

NewsMuzaffarabad is capital of Pakistan administered Kashmir, a territory disputed by the two countries

Shoaib Akhtar will accompany the trophy on the first day  •  ICC

The ICC’s trophy tour of the Champions Trophy will begin on Saturday from Islamabad in Pakistan but will not go to Muzaffarabad in the first leg of its journey. The BCCI had objected to the trophy’s original route, which included Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan administered Kashmir, a territory disputed by the two countries.

The objection caused the delay in finalising a new route, raising the prospects of the tour being delayed altogether. The PCB had announced the launch and route of the tour on its social media channels on Thursday, catching the ICC by surprise; as it is an ICC event, the protocol is that the global body announces those details.

But an alternative route was finalised late on Friday, allowing the tour to begin, as originally planned and announced by the PCB, from Saturday. Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will accompany the trophy on the first day as it is displayed at well-known landmarks in the capital, including Daman-e-Koh, Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument.

From Islamabad the trophy will go to schools, colleges and landmarks in Abbottabad, Murree and Karachi in the opening leg before heading off on an international tour, taking in the seven other countries who are part of the Champions Trophy.

The trophy then returns to Pakistan on January 27, three weeks before the scheduled start of the tournament, with another tour of venues around Pakistan.

Less than a 100 days before the start of the tournament, however, there remains no clarity about how much of the event will be played in Pakistan. The BCCI has told the ICC its government will not allow the team to play in Pakistan, raising the possibility of a hybrid model tournament that sees India playing its games outside of Pakistan. The PCB has stood firm against that possibility, however, and insists the entire tournament is played in Pakistan.

The PCB has written to the ICC asking the BCCI to put down in writing the exact reasons for its inability to visit, as well as asking the ICC when they were informed of the BCCI’s decision.