The controversy was made in 2016 by Basit Ali, a former Pakistan cricketer, to highlight Jay Shah’s alleged reluctance to tour Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Basit Ali accused Shah of pressuring other cricket boards to let their boards be in better positions, according to Shah’s perception of what is wrong with international cricket. However, Pakistan continues to co-host the 2025 Champions Trophy, with security fears persistently remaining a challenge within the country.
That was not all; the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has since started working on preparations for the event in terms of upgrading important stations in cities of the country. But India’s commitment remains less clear. Based on this, the BCCI may ask the ICC to consider moving India’s matches to neutral ground since the Indian government should not allow the team to visit Pakistan.
Basit Ali’s Frustration with BCCI’s Stance
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This agitation led to Basit Ali publicly declaring his displeasure with the BCCI’s attitude in a YouTube video. He said that Jay Shah controls at least 5–6 cricket boards. Ali stated:
Yes, there are five to six boards that act like robots under Jay Shah. 5–6 boards, they will talk about what Jay Shah will say, wagging their tails. This is the reason why if he says that the champion’s trophy will be in Pakistan, they will abide. If he tells them it would be a hybrid system, they would take that one as well,
The former cricketer averred that Shah had bought over the major cricket boards through under-the-table deals where he paid mouthwatering amounts to ensure the participation of players in the IPL. He pointed out that this financial leverage caused conditions where boards were forced to follow the decisions made by Shah. He further added:
It’s because when the player of the respective board plays IPL, BCCI has to pay the considered board a big amount, whether it’s England board, New Zealand board, West Indies board, or Australian board.
ICC’s Budget Approval for the 2025 Champions Trophy
Only a few days ago, during the ICC annual meeting in Colombo, it was officially decided about the budget of the Champions Trophy 2025. As per one of the local dailies, this approval was given on the last day of the meeting. Pakistan, the host nation, was mentioned and was represented by the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, who attended the meeting.
Being well-prepared, the budget was developed in collaboration with ICC Chief Finance Officer Ankur Khanna and PCB Chief Finance Officer Javed Murtaza. Under Section 11 of the IMA Act, the ICC has provisionally released an amount of Rs. 12. 80 billion to Pakistan for the multinational event comprising the renovation of the stadiums of Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
Unlike other cricket boards, the PCB is not moving from its plan of having the entire tournament in Pakistan. However, as per the report of Cricket Pakistan, India may not even travel to Pakistan to play their games, but they may play their games in a third country. This is why the ongoing doubt about the involvement of the Indian team demonstrates the political problem that has not only remained within the sphere of world cricket but has also intensified.
In this context, Basit Ali’s lament on Jay Shah and the BCCI shows how political influence, money, and power dynamics were in international cricket before the scandalous buildup to the 2025 Champions Trophy.
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