BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla has firmly rejected allegations of India receiving an unfair advantage in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by playing all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. With the venue known for its spin-friendly conditions, some experts and former cricketers have raised concerns over scheduling bias. However, Shukla dismissed these claims, asserting that India’s success is built on performance rather than pitch conditions.

Addressing the controversy during the second semi-final in Lahore, Shukla was questioned by a Pakistani journalist about the perceived favouritism. He remained composed and offered a strong rebuttal, emphasizing that the decision to schedule India’s matches in Dubai was made collectively by the ICC and not dictated by the BCCI.

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“When this decision was made during the ICC meeting, it was agreed that India-centric matches would be played in Dubai, while the remaining games would also take place in Dubai. So, it’s not about fair or unfair. The Indian cricket team does not depend on pitches to win matches. There are different types of pitches even within Dubai. India plays on performance—our players rely on their skills, not the conditions,” Rajeev Shukla stated.

Another key topic of discussion was the potential resumption of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan. When asked about the possibility of the two teams playing at a neutral venue, Shukla made it clear that such decisions rest solely with the Indian government. He reiterated BCCI’s long-standing policy that bilateral series should only take place in India or Pakistan, not in third-country venues.

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“As far as bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan is concerned, the decision is in the hands of the government. Whatever the Indian government decides, we will follow. Moreover, it is BCCI’s consistent policy that bilateral matches should take place either in India or Pakistan, not at a neutral venue. I assume the PCB follows a similar approach,” he added.

Pakistan last toured India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, while India’s most recent visit to Pakistan was during the 2008 Asia Cup. Since their last bilateral series in 2012-13, the two sides have only faced off in ICC and ACC tournaments.