Former Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad expressed his disappointment over Indian government’s decision for not sending their cricket team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Notably, the ICC (International Cricket Council) has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) via an official email about India’s decision, and the board has forwarded the information to the government.
The news hasn’t gone down well with several former cricketers who’ve openly expressed their disappointment regarding the matter. Miandad termed the Indian government’s stand a ‘joke’ and said that Pakistan can not only survive but prosper without Indian cricket.
“It is a joke that this is happening. Even if we don’t play India at all, Pakistan cricket will not only survive but prosper as well as we have shown in the past. I would like to see how the ICC events earn money when there are no Pakistan and India matches,” Miandad was quoted as saying by PTI.
Ever since Pakistan won the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy 2025, there were widespread concerns around India’s willingness to travel to the country. They earlier hosted the Asia Cup 2023 but after India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan their matches were held in Sri Lanka.
However, despite that Pakistan travelled to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. India last visited Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup and the relations between the two countries were jeopardized after the horrific 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai.
Schedule announcement for Champions Trophy 2025 delayed
The two nations last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 in India where Pakistan emerged victorious in ODIs by 2-1 and the T20I series was tied 1-1. Since then, two cricketing nations have only locked horns in multi-national events. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has been quite vocal about their stand on Champions Trophy and is against the use of ‘hybrid model’ which was used during the Asia Cup 2023.
The schedule for the Champions Trophy 2025 was supposed to be out during a launch event on November 11. However, the event has been postponed in the wake of India’s stance. It remains to be seen when will the schedule be finalized for the mega event which is just 100 days away as it’s expected to begin from February 19.
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