ICC cancels Pakistan's Champions Trophy tour in PoK amid hosting drama, PCB trolled with memes

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly cancelled the planned trophy tour of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Skardu, Murree, and Muzaffarabad—areas located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This decision reportedly followed objections raised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) included these cities in its nationwide itinerary. It is understood that ICC is yet to formalize the plan for the trophy tour, but PCB appears to have jumped the gun by announcing the schedule. BREAKING NOW: ICC Has refused PCB to take the Champions Trophy tour to any of the disputed POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) #ChampionsTrophy2025 https://t.co/7cGe1EBSbT — Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) November 15, 2024 The Champions Trophy, an eight-team tournament, is slated to be hosted by Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, 2025. To build excitement for the event, the PCB had planned a trophy tour across various cities from November 16 to 24. However, the ICC's reported intervention has resulted in the removal of PoK locations from the tour amid geopolitical sensitivities surrounding the region. Get ready, Pakistan! The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour kicks off in Islamabad on 16 November, also visiting scenic travel destinations like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad. Catch a glimpse of the trophy which Sarfaraz Ahmed lifted in 2017 at The Oval, from 16-24... pic.twitter.com/SmsV5uyzlL — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 14, 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) has cancelled the ‘Champions Trophy’ trophy tour in the cities of Skardu, Hunza and Muzaffarabad, located in the region of illegally Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). करवा ली बेइज्जती, पाकिस्तान? https://t.co/bBQcVUr2mI pic.twitter.com/pTE1JA3jha — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 15, 2024 India-Pakistan standoff over Champions Trophy intensifies The cancellation is the latest development in a growing rift between the PCB and BCCI regarding the Champions Trophy. India has expressed reluctance to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, citing security concerns and diplomatic tensions. In response, the PCB has formally written to the ICC, seeking clarification on India’s stance and requesting an official explanation. The communication does not touch upon possible alternatives, such as a hybrid model, where matches involving India could be held in a neutral venue. The PCB has forwarded the ICC’s communication to the Pakistani government for further guidance, highlighting the potential impact of India’s participation—or lack thereof—on the tournament’s future. The PCB has also committed significant resources, allocating nearly 17 billion Pakistani rupees to upgrade stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi in preparation for the event. This controversy mirrors similar tensions during the 2023 Asia Cup, which was hosted in a hybrid format. India’s matches were held in Sri Lanka after the BCCI declined to send the Indian team to Pakistan. The ICC is reportedly considering similar alternatives for the Champions Trophy, though no formal announcements have been made. As of now, the ICC is expected to reveal the schedule for the tournament in mid-November, though the host venues remain uncertain. Tentative plans include matches in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi. India and Pakistan have not engaged in bilateral cricketing relations since their last series in 2012-13, with tensions escalating after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The two teams now face each other only in ICC events and Asia Cup tournaments. Indians react to ICC's latest move with memes Following ICC's move to cancel PCB's Champions Trophy tour in PoK, several Indian netizens took to X, formerly Twitter, to troll the Pakistan cricket board. Several memes explodes on the social media platform, with one user stating, "ICC banned PCB from doing any Champions Trophy tour in PoK. According to ICC, PoK is not an integral part of Pakistan. Lagta he CT 2025 ke baad PoK bhi haath se jayega." "Kudos to ICC for stopping this political drama by PCB to disrespect sovereignty of India, Pakistan will get embarrassed like this everyday for their bad karma," said another Indian user on X. A third declared, "Hosting must be transferred to India now." Here's a look at some of the memes and reactions on X: ICC banned PCB from doing any Champions Trophy tour in PoK. According to ICC, PoK is not an integral part of Pakistan. Lagta he CT 2025 ke baad PoK bhi haath se jayega