With fewer than 100 days left until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan, the tournament's dates and fixtures remain unannounced, adding to the mounting uncertainty surrounding the event.
Naqvi maintained that the PCB is still awaiting a reply from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the details and clarity of the BCCI’s decision, which was conveyed to the global body.
With three days remaining for the opening Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth, the Indian think tank led by head coach Gautam Gambhir has been challenged on several fronts.
The original tour schedule included cities like Skardu, Hunza and Muzaffarabad, which fall in the PoK region, a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.
The Trophy Tour is part of the global body’s promotional campaign, involving visits to multiple cities as per discussions between the international body and the host country.
Stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj, coming in for an injured Temba Bavuma, won the toss, maintaining South Africa's clean slate in winning the tosses in the series.
Hardik recently returned to the India squad for the T20I series against South Africa, where he made some critical contributions. His selection followed a sensational IPL season with the Gujarat Titans, where he proved his form and fitness by leading them to the title.
Despite losing the first two matches, India didn't tinker with their playing eleven, as Dravid continued to keep his faith on the playing eleven. In India's 82-run win over South Africa at Rajkot, pacer Avesh Khan repaid the faith in him despite going wicketless in the first three matches, picking a career-best haul of 4/18 to skittle out the visitors for 87.
Now, 16 years later, in Rajkot, Karthik notched up his first half-century in the format, blistering 27-ball 55, hitting nine fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 203.7. He was also involved in a crucial 65-run stand-off with 33 balls with Hardik Pandya to set up India's 82-run thrashing of South Africa and take the series to a cracking finale on Sunday.
In the first T20I in Delhi, Rassie van der Dussen had smashed Harshal for three sixes and a four in an over to turn the game around. After the match, the Proteas had said that post the first two sixes, he knew Harshal would turn to his slower balls.
