India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, the ICC has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board via an official email, India Today has learnt that the PCB have forwarded the information to the government and are waiting for their advice.
After rumours floated about the BCCI verbally telling the ICC that they were not going to travel to Pakistan, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi had demanded a written communication from the Indian board. It is learnt that the same has been sent to the ICC ahead of the announcement of the dates of the tournament.
“The PCB has received an email from the ICC, stating that the BCCI has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The PCB has forwarded that email to the Government of Pakistan for their advice and guidance,” a PCB spokesperson said.
Champions Trophy, which returns after a break of 8 years will host the top 8 teams in the international circuit. The right to host the tournament is with Pakistan in 2025 and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has stressed time and again that if India wants to play Pakistan, they have to travel to the rival nation.
Champions Trophy out of Pakistan? PCB unwilling to move competition
With ICC sending an official communication to the PCB it needs to be seen what the board and the apex body decide on the scheduling. Pakistan, who had the rights to the 2023 Asia Cup, hosted the tournament in a hybrid model where India played their games in Sri Lanka.
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board had rubbished media reports that they had agreed to host the tournament in a hybrid model. Naqvi had stated that there was no question of hosting the tournament outside of the country or in a hybrid model.
PCB’s Proposal to India
According to news agency PTI, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had reached out to the BCCI and proposed an arrangement allowing India to return to either New Delhi or Chandigarh in between matches during the Champions Trophy next year if the team is not willing to stay in Pakistan due to security reasons.
The PCB has “verbally” suggested to the BCCI that the Indian team can set up a camp in either New Delhi or Chandigarh/Mohali and use chartered flights to travel to Lahore for their matches. A PCB source, however, confirmed to PTI that the board had not made any suggestions in writing to their Indian counterparts.
The Champions Trophy is slated to take place from February 19 to March 9, with matches scheduled in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi. Due to its proximity to the Indian border and logistical ease, the PCB has planned India’s matches in Lahore.
