'Post 26/11, Pakistan have...': Shahid Afridi bluntly tells ICC to 'assert authority' on BCCI's Champions Trophy act

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, on Thursday, showed his support towards the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) being firm in their stance to avoid adapting the hybrid model for the impending Champions Trophy tournament, slated to be held next year in February, after BCCI formally told the ICC that they won't travel to Pakistan for the event. Shahid Afridi showed his support towards PCB not accepting hybrid model for Champions Trophy

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Afridi blamed BCCI for “intertwining politics with sports,” which put international cricket in a “precarious” position, and hence urged ICC to assert authority amid the scheduling chaos for the Champions Trophy.

Top 15 buys at IPL 2025 Auction Share Via Copy Link Rishabh Pant ₹ 27 Cr DC LSG Total Match

111

Total Runs

3284

Highest Score

128 runs Shreyas Iyer ₹ 26.75 Cr KKR PBKS Total Match

115

Total Runs

3127

Highest Score

96 runs Venkatesh Iyer ₹ 23.75 Cr KKR KKR Total Match

50

Total Runs

1326

Highest Score

104 runs

Wickets

3

Best Bowling

2/29 Arshdeep Singh ₹ 18 Cr PBKS PBKS Total Match

65

Total Runs

29

Highest Score

10 runs

Wickets

76

Best Bowling

5/32 Yuzvendra Chahal ₹ 18 Cr RR PBKS Total Match

260

Total Runs

37

Highest Score

8 runs

Wickets

205

Best Bowling

5/40 Jos Buttler ₹ 15.75 Cr RR GT Total Match

107

Total Runs

3582

Highest Score

124 runs KL Rahul ₹ 14 Cr LSG DC Total Match

132

Total Runs

4683

Highest Score

132 runs Trent Boult ₹ 12.50 Cr RR MI Total Match

104

Total Runs

83

Highest Score

17 runs

Wickets

121

Best Bowling

4/18 Jofra Archer ₹ 12.50 Cr MI RR Total Match

35

Total Runs

195

Highest Score

27 runs

Wickets

46

Best Bowling

3/15 Josh Hazlewood ₹ 12.50 Cr RCB RCB Total Match

12

Total Runs

-

Highest Score

-

Wickets

12

Best Bowling

3/24 Mohammed Siraj ₹ 12.25 Cr RCB GT Total Match

93

Total Runs

109

Highest Score

14 runs

Wickets

93

Best Bowling

4/21 Mitchell Starc ₹ 11.75 Cr KKR DC Total Match

41

Total Runs

105

Highest Score

29 runs

Wickets

51

Best Bowling

4/15 Phil Salt ₹ 11.50 Cr DC RCB Total Match

21

Total Runs

653

Highest Score

89 runs Ishan Kishan ₹ 11.25 Cr MI SRH Total Match

105

Total Runs

2644

Highest Score

99 runs

Wickets

-

Best Bowling

- Jitesh Sharma ₹ 11 Cr PBKS RCB Total Match

40

Total Runs

730

Highest Score

49 runs Check Full Coverage

The Pakistan legend also highlighted that since the 26/11 incident in 2008, following which India stopped all bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan, the latter toured India five times - including a bilateral series in 2012/13.

“By intertwining politics with sports, the BCCI has placed international cricket in a precarious position. Fully support the PCB's stance against the hybrid model - especially since Pakistan (despite security concerns) has toured India five times, including a bilateral white-ball series, post-26/11. It's time for the ICC and its Board of Directors to uphold fairness and assert their authority,” he tweeted.

ICC to discuss hybrid model in board meeting on Friday

According to a report in The Indian Express, the ICC are keen to discuss the possibility of adapting the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy in the virtual board meeting on Friday, especially in the wake of the Islamabad unrest, which led to Sri Lanka Cricket Board cancelling their A team's tour in Pakistan.

PCB did adapt the model during the Asia Cup last year, when majority of the matches, including the knockouts, were staged in Sri Lanka despite Pakistan being the host nation. However, PCB have reportedly told ICC to not refrain from discussing the hybrid model in Friday's meeting.

“I can confirm that PCB has a few hours back told the ICC that a Hybrid Model is not acceptable to them,” a source told PTI. “ PCB had looked at the possibility of a Hybrid model on the condition that if India can’t play in Pakistan, then in future there would be Hybrid models in all ICC events in India right until 2031 (ODI World Cup in India and Bangladesh) as Pakistan would not go and play in India."

Click here to read article