Abdullah said, “Pakistan will also have to play its role in this so that the relations between the two countries improve.”
He further remarked, “Both countries have not played a bilateral series for many years, it is BCCI’s own decision not to go for the tournament. I have always said that it is not only our country’s responsibility to establish better relations between these two countries; if better relations are to be made, then it is Pakistan’s responsibility too.”
“The kind of attacks that are happening should not happen, and the kind of atmosphere that is there should not be there. Pakistan will also have to play its role in this so that the relations between the two countries improve,” Abdullah added.
BCCI sources told ANI on Thursday that they will ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) to host the matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka instead of Pakistan.
India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, and the archrivals now only play each other at multi-team events. Last year, Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup, but India, the ultimate victors, were permitted to play all of their matches in Sri Lanka under a “hybrid model” set by the organizers. India claimed that their government had not granted them permission to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup.
The eight-nation Champions Trophy tournament is scheduled to be held in Pakistan in February and March next year. This will be the first major cricket event in Pakistan since it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. The match dates for the competition, taking place from February 19 to March 9, are set to be announced later.
Before the Champions Trophy, India is set to play six ODIs – three against Sri Lanka in an away series and three at home against England in early February.
