"It wasn't a mistake by mistake" - Aakash Chopra lambasts Pakistan for planned Champions Trophy tour in PoK
Aakash Chopra has lambasted Pakistan for planning a tour of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He opined that it wasn't an honest mistake but a deliberate attempt to legitimize the disputed region as their own.
The 2025 Champions Trophy is supposed to be hosted by Pakistan. After India refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) posted on social media about their plans to take the trophy on a tour of some of the cities in PoK. The International Cricket Council (ICC) subsequently asked them to cancel the trophy tour in the region.
In a video shared on his YouTube 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener criticized PCB for intentionally trying to take the trophy to PoK.
"Why do you do such things? This is a very genuine question. Many people were saying that what India is doing is wrong, that the Indian government should allow the team to go. There was a lot of outcry about this. Pakistan have many cities of their own, including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan," he said (0:30).
"You can have the trophy tour there. However, they put one Pakistan city and the rest of the names they put were occupied-Kashmir cities. What are you trying to do? Why did you decide to take it there? Because you want to legitimize that everything is yours, and then the world starts recognizing it. No, you don't do that. It wasn't a mistake by mistake," Chopra added.
Chopra pointed out that sport is quite often used as a soft power. He noted that Pakistan intended to show that the disputed region is within their territory, which the ICC understood was wrong and asked them to stop the tour after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) raised concern.
"It actually validates India's concern" - Aakash Chopra on the reasons behind India refusing to travel to Pakistan
![India's last ODI against Pakistan was in the 2023 World Cup. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/4d0b2-17317299086569-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that the planned trophy tour in PoK vindicates India's stand not to send their team to Pakistan.
"If you are taking the trophy on a tour of occupied Kashmir, it actually validates India's concern. India has two concerns. I have heard a dossier is being prepared that has the entire story of the last 15 years, which includes the terror attacks that have happened in Pakistan and how many Pakistan-sponsored attacks have happened in Kashmir," he said (2:30).
"We have been hurt quite badly. So it's being said that all this is there and our players are going to be prime targets. So we don't believe the Indian players should go there from a security perspective. That's point one," Chopra added.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that India have every right to disagree with Pakistan's intentions.
"Secondly, you need to hit them where it hurts the most. Indian diplomacy also understands that if you are trying to use this as a soft power, that you want to take the trophy on a tour of PoK, your purpose is to legitimize what you are doing. So India have every right to say - 'Sorry boss, we do not agree one bit'," he observed.
Chopra concluded by noting that Pakistan have been unmasked and that their ulterior motives came to the fore. He added that India won't and shouldn't travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.