'They should boycott...' - Rashid Latif urges Pakistan to step down from Champions Trophy 2025 ahead of clash with India

Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to boycott the Champions Trophy 2025 tournament, which is scheduled for February. The feud between India and Pakistan hasn't reached any conclusion yet, as both are pretty stubborn on their demands. While India's points are valid related to the safety concerns of the players, Pakistan's stance isn't clear yet. The ICC hasn't taken any concrete decision on the same yet. 

"Pakistan should boycott the Champions Trophy now. Before the BCCI takes this step, PCB should take it. Champions Trophy shouldn’t happen anymore. We have always been made scapegoats, be it Afghan war or cricket. PCB, ACB, and ICC are the same as they can’t fight against the BCCI. They have got the chance to push Pakistan at the front. We have joined hands and are fighting against it, but the only fear is that if India boycotts, where do we stand?" said Rashid Latif at an event.

As per reports, Pakistan has accepted the hybrid model but, in return, put forward an unimaginable demand in front of the ICC. PCB wants to have a hybrid model for all the ICC events that will happen in India until 2031. This is Pakistan's way of posing against India when it comes to the tournament. 

Pakistan lost first T20I against South Africa

As the Pakistan team is in South Africa to play the T20I series, they have lost the first game by 11 runs. It was a close match as the visitors were chasing a target of 184 runs. David Miller and George Linde were the best players for South Africa, as Miller scored 80 runs in 42 balls while Linde claimed four wickets.

For a solid bowling performance, Linde was given the Player of the Match award. Captain Mohammad Rizwan did well with the bat, scoring 74 runs in 62 balls, including five boundaries and three sixes. However, it wasn't sufficient for Pakistan to win the game.