• US State Dept spox says sports connects so many people.
• It isn’t something something for US to interfere though, he says.
• US emphasises on internet freedom around the globe.

WASHINGTON: Against the backdrop of India’s refusing to tour Pakistan to participate in the Champions Trophy 2025, the United States has stressed adopting sports diplomacy as it “connects people”.

US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel stated this responding to a query about Pakistan-India relations’ affecting the big sports event.

“…sports is certainly a potent and connecting force. This department really prioritises the role that sports diplomacy has in connecting people. It is something that I know is incredibly important to the US State Department,” he said.

The cricket world is is currently facing a dilemma regarding scheduling of the Champions Trophy, one of the most important cricketing event after the World Cup.

Patel was of the view that at the end of the day, sports connected so many people, and it was a great way for human-to-human and people-to-people ties that the US administration had really prioritised.

Patel also said since it was something between India and Pakistan so it was certainly for them to speak, whether it be through sports or other means.

“I will let them speak to their own bilateral relationship. Certainly not something for us to get in the middle of…,” he maintained.

The development comes after India refused to play Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan next year.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last week that India would not tour Pakistan for the eight-team tournament, sources had said, leaving the fate of the event hanging in the balance.

Pakistan had previously rejected the option of a hybrid arrangement that would allow India to play their matches at neutral venues, for example in the United Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, the PCB has asked the sport’s governing body to explain India’s refusal to send a team to the country for the mega cricket event.

The board intends to present a firm stance, reflecting the government’s advisory, and has decided to not accept any “hybrid model” provisioning any of its Champions Trophy matches outside Pakistan.

“If India’s participation contributes to ICC’s revenue, the PCB’s role is equally crucial, and without Pakistan-India matches, the ICC revenues would suffer significantly,” say sources.

Also, there’s a chance of Pakistan boycotting ICC events in India altogether for “mixing sports with politics” and refusing to visit Pakistan.

The prospective move, if executed, could have major financial and structural consequences for global cricket as Pakistan’s absence could weaken viewership and ICC’s projected revenue from broadcasters and sponsors.

The ICC, which secured $3.2 billion from broadcast rights for the 2024-2027 cycle and anticipates $1 billion more in other revenue, relies heavily on marquee events featuring Pakistan and India, which consistently attract record viewership and engagement.

“No India vs Pakistan games in ICC events mean all broadcast and sponsorship deals would fall out,” said a source who noted that a match in the ICC event is important for global cricket.

In recent years, the ICC has made sure that India play Pakistan at least once in each of the global cricketing events, ensuring a major chunk of revenue from this game.

The match between arch-rivals at the 2023 World Cup drew unprecedented interest, with 173 million viewers on Indian TV and 225 million digital viewers.

It is to be noted that India has not played an international match in Pakistan since 2008. Last year, the BCCI declined to send a team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, leading to a hybrid format with later stages held in Sri Lanka.

However, Pakistan did visit India soon after for the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they fell short of reaching the semi-finals.

US has ‘shared interested’ in combating threats in Balochistan

To another query, the State Department spokesperson said the US condemned the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) Majeed Brigade’s November 9 bombing at a railway station. 

He also extended condolences to the victims and their families.

“We have a shared interest in combating these kinds of threats with Pakistan. We have a shared commitment to regional security. The US itself has designated the BLA as a specially designated global terrorist organisation. 

We did that back in 2019. And at the end of the day, we’re going to continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism,” he added.

In response to a question about restrictions on internet usage including social media platform X in Pakistan, he said internet freedom was something that the US would continue to raise around the world.