ICC may shift Champions Trophy Final from Lahore to Dubai if India qualifies: Report
The International Cricket Council (ICC) may move the 2025 Champions Trophy final from Lahore to Dubai if India qualifies, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is hesitant to send the team to Pakistan due to ongoing political tensions. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has secured the hosting rights for the tournament, but the BCCI reportedly prefers a hybrid model for the event.
According to a report in the Telegraph UK, the uncertainty over the final venue will persist until days before the summit clash, should India reach the final. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, however, remains confident that the BCCI will eventually agree to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to run from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
"The Indian team should come. I don't see them canceling or postponing their participation, and we are confident we will host all the teams in the Champions Trophy," Naqvi stated.
The PCB has earmarked Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi as the primary venues for the tournament and has submitted a draft schedule to the ICC. Naqvi added that the stadiums would be in optimal condition to host the matches in February and March.
The report highlights a similar precedent set last year when the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) adopted a hybrid model for the Asia Cup, allowing India to play its matches in Sri Lanka instead of Pakistan due to political considerations.
In response to queries about the Indian team’s participation, BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla stated that the Indian government will take the final call on whether the team will travel to Pakistan. "For international tours, we always seek the permission of the government. It’s up to the government to decide whether our team should go to any country," Shukla remarked.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
