India unlikely to travel to Pakistan for 2025 Champions Trophy, Seeks alternate venue

July 11, 2024

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India unlikely to travel to Pakistan for 2025 Champions Trophy, Seeks alternate venue

The upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 is facing a potential roadblock for Indian participation due to strained relations between India and Pakistan. According to reports, a BCCI source confirmed that India will not travel to Pakistan and will seek alternate venues.

The Champion Trophy 2025, scheduled from February to March next year, is set to be held in Pakistan. However, according to a source at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) speaking to ANI, the Indian team will not be traveling to Pakistan for the event.

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This decision comes as no surprise, considering India has not played any cricket tournaments in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup. Political tensions between the two nations have unfortunately impacted cricketing ties. Bilateral series have also been on hold since December 2012-January 2013, with both teams only meeting at ICC events and the Asia Cup.

The uncertainty surrounding India’s participation has been a cause for concern. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had even proposed a solution – India playing all their matches in one Pakistani city, reportedly Lahore. This offer, however, was not well-received by the BCCI.

“India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025,” a BCCI source told ANI. “Will tell ICC to hold its matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka.”

This stance aligns with comments made earlier this year by BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla. He had indicated that the Indian team’s participation in Pakistan would depend on approval from the central government.

“In the case of the Champions Trophy, we will do whatever the Government of India tells us to do,” Shukla told ANI in May. “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 arose during the Asia Cup last year, originally planned for Pakistan. However, a “hybrid model” was eventually adopted. All of India’s matches, including those against Pakistan, were held in Sri Lanka, with the final taking place in Colombo, which India emerged victorious from. Notably, while Pakistan had floated the idea of a similar approach for the ODI World Cup held in India the previous year, it was not pursued.

Pakistan enters the Champions Trophy as the defending champions, having secured the title in 2017.

The BCCI’s stance puts the ball in the ICC’s court. The Indian board’s preference for alternative venues like Dubai or Sri Lanka presents a logistical challenge for the tournament organizers. Whether the ICC will be able to accommodate this request or propose a different solution remains to be seen.