Just in is a new bout of controversy from the impending ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai. India has reportedly objected to ‘Pakistan’-the name of the host nation-being printed on the jersey of the team. India are to play their Champions Trophy games in Dubai, but Pakistan remains the host nation of the tournament. After the BCCI’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan, a hybrid model was agreed upon by the PCB and ICC, although the host name on the jersey has sparked yet another controversy.
A PCB official, speaking to IANS, accused the BCCI of ‘mixing politics with cricket’ over its objection to Pakistan’s name on Team India jerseys. The Indian cricket authorities had also reportedly said they would not send captain Rohit Sharma to Pakistan for a pre-Champions Trophy captains’ meet.
“BCCI is putting politics into cricket, which is certainly not good for the game. They have refused to tour Pakistan. They don’t want to send their captain (to Pakistan) for the opening ceremony and now, according to reports, they don’t want the host country’s (Pakistan) name printed on their jersey. We do not think that such a thing will happen, and that the ICC will back Pakistan,” the PCB official, who refused to be named, told IANS.
The BCCI has maintained its position on not sending Team India to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, against considerable demand from the PCB. In the end, the Pakistan board had to accept all the terms of India; though that deal will now also prevent PCB from sending its team to India for ICC events in the future.
While the Champions Trophy itself is roughly a month away, the new controversy makes its headlines.