India Will Not Travel To Pakistan For ICC Champions Trophy

November 9, 2024: The latest development surrounding the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy has escalated tensions between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), with India now officially stating that it will not travel to Pakistan for the tournament.

According to reports from ESPNCricinfo, BCCI informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it has been advised by the Indian government to refrain from sending the national team to Pakistan for the event, which is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025.

This decision puts the ICC and the PCB in a difficult position, as it could potentially disrupt the tournament’s logistics. The most likely outcome is that the event could adopt a hybrid model, similar to the one used during the 2023 Asia Cup, where India played its matches in Sri Lanka while the rest of the tournament took place in Pakistan. In this scenario, the UAE is considered a strong contender to host India’s matches, given its geographic proximity to Pakistan. Sri Lanka is also being considered as an alternative venue for India’s games.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had previously ruled out the possibility of using a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, and reiterated this position on Friday. He emphasized that the PCB would not accept such an arrangement, insisting that Pakistan had made significant gestures in the past, including sending their team to India for the 2023 ICC World Cup despite the hybrid model used in the Asia Cup. Naqvi also made it clear that any decision regarding future travel to India for the Pakistan team would be contingent on approval from the Pakistani government.

Naqvi’s refusal to entertain the hybrid model has complicated matters, as the PCB had hoped for a full-scale tournament in Pakistan, especially after hosting the Asia Cup last year. However, in light of the latest developments, it seems the ICC will have to consider alternative solutions to accommodate India’s participation, with the UAE and Sri Lanka emerging as potential hosts for India’s games.