Mumbai: Indian cricket team is unlikely to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy and the Indian cricket board (BCCI) will ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) to host matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka, BCCI sources said.
The ICC Champions Trophy will be held next year from February to March 2025 in Pakistan. Since 2008’s Asia Cup, India has not played any cricket tournaments in Pakistan due to tense relationships between both nations. A bilateral series from December 2012 to January 2013 in India also marked the final bilateral series between the two nations. Since then, both nations have only clashed at ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup.
Uncertainty has been looming over India’s participation in the upcoming event due to the relationship between the two countries.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had proposed to India to play all its matches in one city. ESPNcricinfo had reported that Lahore was chosen as the location where India would play all of their matches. However, the Indian board is not interested in the prospect of travelling to Pakistan.
While addressing India’s participation in the BCCI source, said, “India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Will tell ICC to hold its matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka.”
BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla, in May, said that the Indian team would be sent to Pakistan for the tournament only if the central government permits it.
A similar situation unfolded during last year’s Asia Cup, which was scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan.
However, PCB was compelled to use a hybrid strategy when hosting the Asia Cup last year, with all of India’s matches–including those against Pakistan–taking place in Sri Lanka.