New Delhi [India]: The Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and will ask the International Cricket Council to hold its matches in Sri Lanka or Dubai, a BCCI source disclosed.
The ICC Champions Trophy will be held next year from February to March 2025 in Pakistan. Since 2008’s Asia Cup, India has not played any cricket tournaments in Pakistan due to tense relationships between both nations.
A bilateral series from December 2012 to January 2013 in India also marked the final bilateral series between the two nations. Since then, both nations have only clashed at ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup.
Uncertainty has been looming over India’s participation in the upcoming event due to the relationship between the two countries.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had proposed to India to play all its matches in one city. ESPNcricinfo had reported that Lahore was chosen as the location where India would play all of their matches. However, the Indian board is not interested in the prospect of travelling to Pakistan.
While addressing India’s participation in the BCCI source said, “India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Will tell ICC to hold its matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka.”
BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla, in May, said that the Indian team would be sent to Pakistan for the tournament only if the central government permits it.
Speaking to reporter, Shukla said, “In the case of the Champion Trophy, we will do whatever the Government of India will tell us to do. We send our team only when the Government of India permits us. So we will go according to the decision of the Indian government.”
A similar situation unfolded during last year’s Asia Cup, which was scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan.
However, PCB was compelled to use a hybrid strategy when hosting the Asia Cup last year, with all of India’s matches–including those against Pakistan–taking place in Sri Lanka.
The tournament final, which India won, took place in Colombo. Although Pakistan had hinted at the possibility of using a hybrid approach to participate in the ODI World Cup in India the previous year, it was never given any thought.
Pakistan are the defending champions of the Champions Trophy, last held in 2017.