Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @wasimakramliveofficial
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has expressed hope that India will travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy next year, calling it a positive step for cricket.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to confirm or deny India’s participation in the Pakistan-hosted tournament, reiterating it will adhere to the Indian government’s directives.
“I think whatever I’m reading there are positive vibes from (the) Indian government and (the) BCCI. I also read somewhere they will play probably all their games in Lahore. They will probably come to Lahore and travel (back) the same night. I’m all for it, as long as India is comfortable,” Akram said.
“And I can promise you, they (are) going to get looked after amazingly well. I mean, Indian cricketers like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, (Hardik) Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, they have fans in Pakistan. The young cricket fans adore them,” he added.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is committed to hosting the full 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9 and has proposed scheduling all India’s matches in Lahore to simplify travel and security. The PCB plans to issue around 17,000 visas for Indian fans to support their team, with the final and any India-involving semi-final set for Lahore.
Akram noted that India’s visit would be a milestone for cricket worldwide, not just for Pakistan.
“People-to-people contact is very important in this day and age. In this social media age, there’s so much negativity all over the world, unnecessary negativity, in my opinion, and I think if India come, it will be great for cricket, and of course, it’ll be great for Pakistan too,” Akram said.
India has not played in Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, opting to play last year’s Asia Cup games in Sri Lanka instead of Pakistan, though Pakistan did participate in the recent ODI World Cup held in India.
Recently, ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould and Chair Richard Thompson discussed “various alternatives and contingencies” if India opts out of traveling to Pakistan, including a hybrid model.
However, they emphasized that India’s participation is vital, saying “it would not be in cricket’s interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy.”
The Champions Trophy will feature eight teams—Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa—competing in two groups of four, with semi-finals and a final.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
