The Indian cricket team is “unlikely” to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to security concerns, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on Friday.
India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, when they participated in the Asia Cup, owing to strained political relations. The two countries last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, and since then, most of their encounters have been in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which reiterated that security concerns in Pakistan make it unlikely for the Indian team to travel there for the Champions Trophy. “The BCCI has issued a statement, saying there are security concerns in Pakistan, and therefore, it is unlikely that the team will be going there,” Jaiswal said during a press briefing.
India has remained firm on its position of not traveling to Pakistan, with BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla emphasizing that the board would follow the Indian government’s directives. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected the idea of hosting the tournament in a hybrid model, with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi asserting that Pakistan would not accept a situation where India plays cricket on home soil, but Pakistan is excluded.
“Our stance is very clear. We will do what is best for Pakistan cricket. We are in constant contact with the ICC chairman, and our discussions continue. We are firm in our stance that it is not acceptable for us to play cricket in India while they don’t play here. We are in talks with the ICC, and we will update you on what happens next,” Naqvi told ESPNcricinfo.