The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that India will not travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. According to sources, the BCCI conveyed that it had received instructions from the Indian government not to send the team to Pakistan. The tournament, scheduled from February 19 to March 9, includes eight teams and will be hosted across three venues in Pakistan. This decision now forces the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to devise a contingency plan.
With India refusing to travel, the ICC and PCB may consider a hybrid model. This approach would involve splitting games between Pakistan and a neutral venue. However, implementing this model poses challenges. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi recently dismissed any discussion about a hybrid model, emphasizing that no such arrangement had been agreed upon. Yet, insiders reveal that contingency plans were prepared months ago in case a hybrid model became necessary.
The UAE, due to its proximity and established cricket infrastructure, is reportedly a preferred alternative. Sri Lanka is also under consideration. The ICC, however, is still waiting for official written confirmation from the BCCI regarding India’s stance, which will then be communicated formally to the PCB.
PCB’s Position on the Hybrid Model
PCB Chairman Naqvi’s remarks have made it clear that Pakistan is reluctant to accept a hybrid model. Naqvi pointed to the “great gestures” Pakistan made by sending its team to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, despite India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup earlier that year. The Asia Cup was eventually split, with some matches played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model. Naqvi also stressed that future Pakistan tours to India would depend on decisions from the Pakistan government.
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ICC Faces Scheduling Complications
The Champions Trophy, set to feature Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa, includes two groups of four teams, with the top teams advancing to the semi-finals and final. The ICC planned to mark the 100-day countdown to the tournament on November 11. However, with the current uncertainties, the ICC may have to delay its schedule announcement and ticket release.
A schedule-reveal event, initially planned for next week in Lahore, is now likely to be postponed. The ICC, BCCI, and PCB are yet to issue official statements on this recent development.
Longstanding Political Tensions Impacting Cricket
Political tensions between India and Pakistan have long affected their cricketing ties. India has not toured Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, and Pakistan’s last bilateral series in India occurred in 2012-13. Both nations have only faced each other in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup since then. Despite Pakistan’s participation in ICC events hosted by India, such as the 2023 World Cup, India has consistently refrained from playing in Pakistan.
The upcoming Champions Trophy marks another chapter in the challenging cricket relations between these two countries, leaving fans and officials eagerly awaiting a final resolution on the tournament’s format and schedule.
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