Sources in the BCCI told ANI that the Indian team will not tour Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The board will request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to host the match in Sri Lanka or Dubai instead.
The ICC Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan in February-March 2025. India has avoided playing cricket in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup due to tense political relations.
The last bilateral encounter between the arch-rivals was played in India between December 2012 and January 2013. Since then, the two teams have only met in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup.
Speculation has been rife for a while now that India may not tour Pakistan for the ICC tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has proposed that India host all its matches in Lahore. However, the BCCI is not interested in touring Pakistan. In May, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the Indian team would only visit Pakistan for the tournament if the central government gave its permission.
“Regarding the Champions Trophy, we will follow whatever the Indian government instructs us to do. We will send a team only if the Indian government allows us to. So, we will abide by the Indian government’s decision,” Shukla told ANI.
India won the 2023 Asia Cup, the final of which was held in Colombo. Pakistan had proposed a hybrid format for participating in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, but the idea was not considered.
Past Champions Trophies
The last time the ICC Champions Trophy was held, in 2017, Pakistan won. India and Sri Lanka were declared joint winners after the match day and reserve day were cancelled due to rain. India won the tournament for the second time in 2013, defeating England.
(This is a developing story. Check back for more details.)
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