Photo Credit: ESPNcricinfo
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stated on Sunday that India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, which starts in February. Political tensions have prevented the rivals from playing a bilateral series for more than a decade, with India’s last tour to Pakistan occurring for the Asia Cup in 2008.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board has received an email from the ICC (International Cricket Council), stating that the Indian board has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025,” PCB spokesman Sami Ul Hasan said. The PCB has sent this email to the Pakistani government for advice and guidance, Hasan added.
The Champions Trophy, featuring eight teams, is scheduled to take place in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi from February 19 to March 9. However, the final schedule remains uncertain due to India’s lack of confirmation. PCB chairman Moshin Naqvi had earlier dismissed the idea of a hybrid model where India would play in neutral venues in the UAE.
“Pakistan has shown great gestures to India in the past, and we’d like to say clearly India shouldn’t expect such friendly gestures from us every time,” Naqvi said in Lahore on Saturday. He stressed that the decision on Pakistan’s travel to any future events in India would be made by the government, not the PCB.
“The government will decide if Pakistan travel for any future event in India if they don’t come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
“The PCB will not decide that,” Naqvi added.
The ICC was expected to release the Champions Trophy schedule this week, but the ongoing impasse is likely to cause delays. As the premier ODI competition after the World Cup, the Champions Trophy will feature Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa. Monday marks the 100-day countdown to the event.
Pakistan visited India for the previous year’s ODI World Cup and had expected India to reciprocate for the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan had to use a hybrid model for the Asia Cup last year, with India playing their matches, including the final, in Sri Lanka. Since their last bilateral series in the 2012-13 season, India and Pakistan have only met in ICC multi-nation events.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
