The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which is set to be hosted by Pakistan is in the headlines currently regarding whether Indian Cricket Team will travel to their neighbouring nation for the tournament.
BCCI has not sent the team to Pakistan since 2006 and they also don’t engage in bilateral series since the 2012-13 series in India. The Indian Government does not allow that as their stance is clear: Till Pakistan stops sponsoring cross-border terrorism, India will neither play bilateral cricket series nor travel to Pakistan.
The Asia Cup 2023 was also scheduled in Pakistan but India did not travel to the nation for the tournament. Hence, the tournament was hosted in hybrid mode with India’s matches and the final being held in Sri Lanka. PCB was hell-bent on hosting the full Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan and was pushing for BCCI to send their team to their nation and not allow any hybrid model.
However, ESPN Cricinfo is reporting that the Indian Government has denied permission to the BCCI to send their team to Pakistan for that event and that the BCCI has already informed the ICC of this decision.
The BCCI has told the ICC it had been advised by the GOI not to send the team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. UAE and Sri Lanka have been shortlisted for the Champions Trophy in case of a Hybrid model. UAE are the front-runners to host India’s matches and also the final if India qualifies for it.
PCB had earlier offered India to feature in all of their matches in Lahore for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Meanwhile, reports say that the PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has asked BCCI to enlist any objections that they have in writing and he will take a decision on everything only after checking with the Pakistan Government.
Earlier, Pakistan wanted to host all of India’s matches and the final in Lahore. Even, they were interested in giving multiple entry visas to the Indian players and the support staff so that they could play a match in Lahore and then move to Amritsar or New Delhi to stay.
