Prime officers of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), together with chairman Richard Thompson, have advised that staging the Champions Trophy with out powerhouse India shouldn’t be an possibility and there are “contingencies accessible” if Rohit Sharma’s staff does not journey to host nation Pakistan. India haven’t performed in Pakistan since 2008 because of the tense relations between the 2 international locations and their journey to the South Asian nation is solely depending on authorities clearance. With the federal government unlikely to offer the BCCI permission to ship the staff to Lahore, the Champions Trophy in a hybrid mannequin appears the most probably possibility. Just like the Asia Cup final yr, India can play their matches in a 3rd nation whereas the opposite video games could be staged in Pakistan.

The event shall be held in February-March.

“It might not be in cricket’s pursuits for India to not be taking part in within the Champions Trophy,” Thompson, who’s in Pakistan alongside ECB CEO Richard Gould, was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

The choice on India’s journey to Champions Trophy might be taken earlier than present BCCI secretary Jay Shah takes cost of the Worldwide Cricket Council in December. Shah was elected as ICC chairman in August.

“It is fascinating, with Jay Shah – the previous secretary of the BCCI and now chair of the ICC – (who) goes to have an enormous function to play in that. There’s geopolitics, after which there’s cricketing geopolitics. I believe they will discover a means. They should discover a means,” mentioned Thompson.

ECB CEO Gould added: “In case you play the Champions Trophy with out India, or Pakistan, the printed rights aren’t there, and we have to defend them.

“They (Pakistan) are the host nation. We have seen the developments happening, and we’re all ready to grasp whether or not India are going to journey. That is the important thing.

“We predict there are some discussions and relationships the place they must be. I do know Pakistan expect India to journey. There are many totally different alternate options and contingencies accessible if that does not occur.” India and Pakistan play one another in multi staff occasions just like the World Cup and Asia Cup.

“There are all the time safety considerations on this a part of the world when these two international locations play one another. That may in all probability drive the important thing choices. However I do know relationships between the 2 international locations are as amicable as they are often in the mean time: we noticed it play out on the (males’s T20) World Cup in New York,” mentioned Thompson.

Although prime groups have visited Pakistan lately, the nation final hosted an ICC occasion in 1996, when it co-hosted the ODI World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

Thompson expects a call on India’s participation within the event can be taken within the eleventh hour.

“That is between India and Pakistan, and I believe they are going to discover a means the place India will take part within the Champions Trophy… This stuff are likely to go to the wire, as historical past has proven us, so I believe that in these [last] six months, they will discover a means,” he mentioned.

The occasion will characteristic eight groups together with Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.