As Pakistan prepares to host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, former cricketer Basit Ali has stressed the paramount importance of maintaining stringent security measures. This will be the first ICC event held in Pakistan since the 1996 ODI World Cup, co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka. Ali’s concerns stem from the fact that any security lapses during the upcoming series against Bangladesh, England, and West Indies could potentially jeopardize Pakistan’s ability to successfully host the Champions Trophy.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ali emphasized the need for heightened security measures throughout these tours. “Since the Champions Trophy is in Pakistan, and teams like England and West Indies are scheduled to tour after Bangladesh, we must pay attention to security,” he said. “God forbid, the Champions Trophy won’t be played here if there is any incident in these tours. Our soldiers are getting martyred in Balochistan and Peshawar. Only the government can answer why it has been happening, but it’s wrong.”
These concerns about security are not unfounded. Past incidents have shown that foreign teams have expressed fears while touring Pakistan. In 2021, New Zealand abruptly abandoned their tour just before the start of the ODI series due to security concerns. England followed suit by pulling out of their scheduled tour later that year.
Ali further emphasized the importance of providing top-level security for visiting teams. “We must ensure that there is not even a small security breach. The foreign teams should get the same security as our Prime Minister and President. I am sure Mohsin Naqvi will be aware of these things.”
The focus on security becomes even more crucial as Pakistan’s home cricket season kicks off on August 21 with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh. The country aims to ensure that all visiting teams feel safe and secure, a prerequisite for successfully hosting the 2025 Champions Trophy. Any negative developments during these series could potentially derail Pakistan’s ambitions of hosting the event. The cricketer-turned-analyst underscored the vital significance of eliminating any possibility of security breaches to safeguard these plans.
