The legendary Indian National Cricket Team off-spinner Harbhajan Singh urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to keep their egos aside and accept the hybrid model for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Harbhajan Singh said that Indian National Cricket Team and Pakistan National Cricket Team anyway play very few matches against each other and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match should be played in UAE.
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India will not travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025
The Indian government has denied permission to send the Indian National Cricket Team to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to security concerns.
This led India to demand a hybrid model for the competition with the Men In Blue playing all their matches in the UAE. The PCB was hesitant to accept the hybrid model and wanted to host the entire competition in-house.
However, the latest reports suggest that Pakistan Cricket has softened its stance.
During a recent meeting between BCCI officials and the PCBs, the PCB proposed a ‘Type of Partnership or Merger’ under which groups of both nations would play their matches at a neutral venue, Dubai, for all ICC events hosted by any country in the next three years, Cricket Pakistan said.
However, reports claim that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has objected to this new formula, despite having expressed interest earlier.
There is a security concern and I have been saying this since 2022 – Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh said that there is definitely a concern for the security of the Indian National Cricket Team and they should not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The former off-spinner ordered Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials to keep their egos aside and accept the hybrid model for the ICC Champions Trophy. Harbhajan Singh said that no player would have any problem playing the India vs Pakistan matches in Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
“Ask all the players, they would say they are ready to play in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. In any case, we don’t see too many Indo-Pak games as such, and Pakistan should keep their egos aside and agree with the ‘Hybrid’ Model,” said the legendary spinner of the Indian National Cricket Team, according to PTI.
“There is a security concern and I’ve been saying this since 2022,” he added.
I don’t think 38 is old – Harbhajan Singh to Ravichandran Ashwin
Washington Sundar was selected Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the Perth Test against Australia despite his limited experience in Test cricket.
Talking about this, Harbhajan Singh said that the young spin-bowler has shown the ability to fill the shoes of Ravichandran Ashwin and playing above the veterans is a bold move.
“Washington had shown during New Zealand series that he is ready to take over the mantle from Ashwin in the coming days,” said the spin-bowling great.
Harbhajan Singh also made it clear that he does not consider 38-year-old Ravichandran Ashwin too old and that age is not the only reason why he is on the bench. He said:
“I don’t think 38 is an age. It’s not 58. But yes, after all these years, the shoulders experience wear and tear, so the zip might be a little less.”
