The Indian men’s team hasn’t yet decided on their travel plans to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to take place in the neighboring country, during the period between February 19 and March 9. The report on Sports Tak has suggested that the Rohit Sharma-led India ODI side will not go to the homeland of the defending champions for the ICC event.
The Indian government would finally decide on the whole schedule. In contrast, the Pakistan Cricket Board has already announced the competition dates, along with the teams who would participate in the event.
Pakistan, captained by Sarfaraz Ahmed, was the winner of the Champions Trophy when its final was held last time during the 2017 season, at the Kennington Oval, in England, getting the better of the Indian team, under the leadership of Virat Kohli.
‘The decision rests with the Indian government’- Sources Revealed on Champions Trophy 2025 Future
The relationship between the countries hasn’t been smooth, for a long time, as they both met each other in a bilateral series for the last time in 2012, when the Pakistan side visited India for a white-ball series. Since, then both teams have been involved only in the ICC tournaments, as the craze of the fans from both parts of the border reaches to another level of excitement.
The Pakistan cricket sources have also enlightened the fact that if the Indian team decides not to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, then in that case, Sri Lanka will have the opportunity to come and join the other seven teams in the competition, but they are not going to follow the hybrid model which they did during the Asia Cup 2023.
According to the Asia Cup 2023, the Pakistan team played their group stage games of the competition at home, while their super four games along with the group stage game were held in Sri Lanka, which hosted all the matches of the Indian team. Despite this situation, the latter came to India during the Men’s ODI World Cup 2023, towards the end of the year, where they were knocked out from the group stage of the competition.
The Blue Brigade has yet to visit the neighboring country since 2008, whereas the Green Army came and participated in the World Cup 2024, by playing their games in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata.
A close source has expressed that the details of the tournament are yet to be decided, while it’s very unlikely that they would go to the country for the event, besides leaving the whole decision to the Indian government.
‘While the details of the tournament have not yet been discussed, it is highly unlikely that the Indian team will travel to Pakistan.’ A close source quoted by saying. ‘Ultimately, the decision rests with the Indian government. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plans to raise this issue at the upcoming ICC meeting in Sri Lanka this month.’
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The government is yet to make any decision regarding the Champions Trophy 2025 as it feels like the next meeting of the ICC will give a clear picture of the future of the event.
‘The government’s decision on this matter will be final, as we have not yet confirmed it internally.’ The source reflected on the matter. ‘Since this is an ICC event, we do not have the authority to make any unilateral decisions. However, more details may emerge during the next ICC meeting.’
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), however, has declared that all the India games of the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played in Lahore, while Rawalpindi and Karachi are the other venues for the 15-match competition.