New Delhi: In what could be a huge blow for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is unlikely to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan are set to host the Champions Trophy from February 19 to March 09 next year. However, India’s participation remains in doubt as BCCI is yet to clear its stance on sending the team to Pakistan.
PCB has reportedly slotted the marquee India-Pakistan clash in Lahore on March 01 as per the tentative schedule submitted to the International Cricket Council (ICC). However, BCCI is yet to give its consent. India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket against each other since 2013 and continue to meet only in major ICC events.
However, India have refused to tour Pakistan even for major tournaments in the past. As per a report in Sports Tak, BCCI is likely to maintain a strict stance and will not send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. A BCCI source stated that the final decision on whether India will travel to Pakistan or not will be taken by the government.
“We haven’t discussed anything about Champions Trophy but I think it’s unlikely that will travel to Pakistan a final call will be taken by the government on travel to Pakistan,” the source was quoted as saying by Sports Tak.
This is not the first time BCCI is refusing to send the Indian team to Pakistan. Pakistan were the official hosts of the Asia Cup last year but India didn’t travel to Pakistan and the tournament was played in a hybrid model. India played all their matches in Sri Lanka, which was roped in as a neutral venue for the tournament.
Decision to be made in ICC Annual General Meeting (AGM)
BCCI is likely to push for a similar hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025 and might demand India’s matches to be played at a neutral venue. As per the report, a final decision on India’s participation in the matches in Pakistan can be made at ICC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) which is scheduled to take place later this month in Sri Lanka.
“We haven’t discussed about it. The government will decide and will follow. It is an ICC event we can’t decide about the tournament. The next ICC meeting may throw some light in regards to the Champions Trophy,” added the BCCI source.
There has been no official word from BCCI yet on whether India will travel to Pakistan for the major tournament or not. BCCI secretary Jay Shah recently confirmed that senior players like skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be part of India’s squad for the Champions Trophy next year. India will look to bag another major trophy after clinching the T20 World Cup 2024 title.
BCCI is unlikely to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025 next year. The Pakistan Cricket Board has scheduled India’s match against Pakistan in Lahore on March 1 in the tentative schedule. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
