MUMBAI: The highly-anticipated Pakistan-India fixture in ICC Champions Trophy 2017, will take place according to schedule, ARY News reported .
Pakistan will kick off its Champions Trophy 2017 campaign against arch-rivals India at Birmingham on 4th June after the head of the four-member panel governing the matters of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Vinod Rai gave his nod.
A panel of Supreme Court judges sacked the BCCI president Anurag Thakur and his number two Ajay Shirke over failing to implement recommended reforms in the cricket body.
It should be noted that India’s Supreme Court had appointed a top anti-corruption troubleshooter as head of a team to monitor the running of BCCI after sacking its top officials.
Thakur had warned that a key reform demanded by the Indian Supreme Court may force India to miss next year’s Champions Trophy in England and Wales.
The cricket board opposes a recommendation that would prevent cricket from being played up to 15 days after the cash-rich Indian Premier League finishes.
Thakur, who is also a member of India’s ruling Bharatya Janata Party (BJP), had categorically ruled out any prospect of cricket match between the arch rivals in foreseeable future.
“There is no question of India-Pakistan cricket post-Uri attack,” he said.
Bilateral cricket between both the countries have had been on hold for over three years.
Pakistan and India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding last year, according to which they were supposed to play several series home and away, in India and Pakistan. Even neutral venue of UAE also came under discussion.
However, after Pathankot Attack in early 2016 all this issue was put on back-burner. Amid growing tension between both the countries Pakistan was also cautious about playing T20 World Cup in India this year, however after security assurance from India the national team went to compete in the tournament. – MD
