In a big update surrounding the uncertainty over India’s participation in the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday, November 10 confirmed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) of its decision to not travel to Pakistan for the marquee tournament.
It is to be noted that the Champions Trophy is set to return in 2025 after being last played in 2017 in England. The tournament is likely to be hosted between February 19 and March 9 across three venues in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi in Pakistan. However, the latest decision of India has raised several eyebrows of the tournament now moving into the hybrid model.
India to not travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025
The Indian government had earlier intimated of its inability to travel to Pakistan, but a written letter around the same was being continuously demanded by the Pakistan Cricket Board for further clarity. Earlier on Friday, November 8, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had also refuted rumours of the tournament being moved into a hybrid model as they still awaited BCCI’s decision but on Sunday, the PCB confirmed of the Indian cricket board’s decision in a mail on not traveling to Pakistan for the tournament.
“The PCB has received an e-mail from the ICC, stating that the BCCI has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025,” PCB said in a statement. “The PCB has forwarded that e-mail to the Government of Pakistan for their advice and guidance,” a PCB spokesperson further informed.
With the ICC sending an official communication to the PCB, it needs to be seen what the board and the apex body decide on the scheduling of the tournament. Earlier, a BCCI source had shown interest on its matches being moved to either Dubai or Sharjah. “This is an ICC event and BCCI has informed the global body that it won’t travel to Pakistan. It will depend on ICC to inform the host nation about the development and then close in on the scheduling of the tournament. The conversation is to announce the schedule 100 days prior to the commencement of the event,” a BCCI source had told PTI earlier.
Furthermore, it is to be noted that India has not traveled to Pakistan since 2008. Moreover, the two nations haven’t locked horns in a bilateral series since 2012-13 and have only played against each other in ICC tournaments.