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The Champions Trophy is scheduled to start from February 19 next year. It is being hosted by Pakistan. Its matches are to be played at three places in Pakistan. However, the Indian board has reportedly informed the international cricket body that the team will not be traveling to the neighboring country due to the Indian government’s advisory.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy in 2025. This information is coming from the report of ESPN Cricinfo. The Champions Trophy is scheduled to start from February 19 next year. It is being hosted by Pakistan. Its matches are to be played at three places in Pakistan. However, the Indian board has reportedly informed the international cricket body that the team will not be traveling to the neighboring country due to the Indian government’s advisory.
This will force the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and ICC to look for alternative plans and holding the tournament in a hybrid model could be one of them. After BCCI’s refusal to send the team to Pakistan in that tournament also, Asia Cup 2023 was also played in hybrid model in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The report said that the ICC was informed about the BCCI’s decision earlier in the week, however, it has not been confirmed whether the Indian board has verbally informed the international board about its decision or not. No. The ICC is probably looking for written communication.
Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi categorically denied that he has received any formal message from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that his national team will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. On Thursday, PCB sources had claimed that India has chosen a ‘hybrid model’ where all their matches will be held in Dubai. The hybrid model was also adopted during the 2023 Asia Cup where Pakistan played its matches at home but India played its matches in Sri Lanka.
On Friday morning, BCCI sources claimed that India had already officially told the PCB that they would not travel to Pakistan but in the evening, Naqvi denied this in a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium. When a senior BCCI source was contacted, he replied that the status quo remains. It is not for the BCCI to decide whether to go to Pakistan or not, but it is the decision of the Indian government. Nothing has changed in this matter. We are not going to Pakistan according to the current situation.
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