The chances of the Indian cricket team playing in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which is slated to take place in Pakistan, are diminishing into darkness. Sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India claimed on Thursday, July 11, that there is very little possibility of its visiting Pakistan to play in the event next year.
It is thus learnt that the BCCI might approach the ICC to have all India matches organised in a neutral venue, probably Dubai or Sri Lanka. This might have been decided having gone through a series of incidents related to the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, eventually affecting–not a single–sporting tie between the two nations.
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India has not toured Pakistan for a bilateral series since the 2012-13 season. For many years now, the two nations have played each other only in ICC events and the Asia Cup, whose matches have been held in neutral venues. These sources in the BCCI further pointed out that India might not turn up in Pakistan due to deep-seated political and security concerns.
Indian Cricket team is unlikely to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. BCCI will ask ICC to host matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka: BCCI sources to ANI pic.twitter.com/o7INJKhk1E
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2024
Although, sources close to BCCI have indicated that India is unlikely to take part in the event in Pakistan, officially this is yet to be confirmed. More importantly, it would depend upon permission from New Delhi and a strict analysis of the security situation in that country.
The hosting rights for the Champions Trophy have been granted to Pakistan, and it will make a comeback to the cricket calendar after a gap of six years since 2017. In June, the Pakistan Cricket Board submitted a schedule to the ICC.
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As per the draft schedule sent by PCB, the matches of the Indian cricket team were scheduled in Lahore, while the marquee clash of India vs Pakistan has been scheduled on March 1. It complicates what is already constituting a tense sporting relationship between the neighbours as cricket fans, and all eyes await the official decision. This will, therefore, not only jeopardise the logistical feasibility of the tournament but will also be a deciding moment in cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.
