‘PCB should boycott Champions Trophy before BCCI does’: Rashid Latif labels board ‘scapegoat’ in radical call-to-action

Rashid Latif, the former Pakistan cricket captain, has sparked a significant conversation around the 2025 Champions Trophy, urging Pakistan to consider boycotting the tournament before the BCCI takes any drastic steps.

“Pakistan should boycott the Champions Trophy now. Before the BCCI takes this step, PCB should take it. Champions Trophy shouldn’t happen anymore,” Latif said at an event, as quoted by Times of India, emphasising that the time had come for Pakistan to stand firm. He further elaborated on the situation, expressing frustration at the role Pakistan often plays in these political disputes.

“We have always been made scapegoats, be it Afghan war or cricket,” he remarked.

Latif’s remarks come as confusion remains over the future of 2025 Champions Trophy, with deadlock over the schedule.

Concerns over hybrid model

The backdrop to this remark is the ongoing conflict surrounding the 2025 Champions Trophy. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier demanded a “hybrid model” for all the tournaments that take place in India, following India’s demand for the same for Champions Trophy due to security concerns over traveling to Pakistan. However, this compromise was met with strong resistance from the BCCI, which rejected the hybrid format proposal, asserting that there was no security threat in India.

According to a report from The Telegraph, the BCCI communicated clearly to the ICC that India would not accept the hybrid model, further entrenching the deadlock.

However, the PCB made it clear that it would not participate in future tournaments hosted in India unless the security concerns and political issues were addressed. “The BCCI’s contention is simple — there is no security threat in India and hence no question of accepting such an arrangement,” the report quoted BCCI officials.

“They have got the chance to push Pakistan at the front. We have joined hands and are fighting against it, but the only fear is that if India boycotts, where do we stand,” Latif added.

As the battle over the Champions Trophy continues, the future of the tournament remains uncertain, with Pakistan’s potential boycott sending a clear message about the need for fairness and equality in international cricket.