Pakistan hopeful of inclusion in Champions League T20

While the country gets continuously snubbed by the Champions League organisers, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still not giving up hope of participation in the coveted Twenty20 tournament.

Pakistan’s representation was missing once again when organisers announced a new format for this year’s event that will be competed among 10 teams later this year. Pakistan are the only major Test nation to miss out on taking part in the mega event.

However, the PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed was optimistic after having a discussion with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), he said.

“We had a discussion with the BCCI on the sidelines of the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting,” Ahmed told reporters on returning from the ICC annual conference. “Primarily we discussed playing a bilateral series with India. Once the ties revive, we’re confident we’ll be included in the Champions League.”

Ahmed further said that Pakistan and India are scheduled to play a series in February next year, for which discussions with the Indian board will soon be held.

PCB satisfied with outcome in Hong Kong

The ICC meeting saw some major decisions being taken, including giving a ruling that requires cricket boards to end government intervention in their operations.

The PCB, whose chairman is appointed by the country’s president who also happens to be the board’s patron-in-chief, is directly affected by this ruling but Ahmed seemed content with the outcome.

“We’re satisfied with the outcome and will be discussing the ruling with the government. We will give its output to the ICC, which has understood our viewpoint and has given us two years to implement the change.”

Ahmed also expressed his satisfaction that the proposal of doing away with the rotational policy of appointing ICC presidents was deferred.

No progress in reviving international cricket

However, the PCB failed to achieve any breakthrough in their attempts to revive international cricket in Pakistan. The country has not hosted international cricket since March 2009 following an attack on the Sri Lanka team.

“The revival of cricket depends on the security situation. The ICC has assured their support on hosting an event in 2018 subject to security.”