The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has seemingly given up coercing BCCI to send Team India to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025 and put the responsibility of doing so on the ICC. Pakistan is set to host its first ICC tournament since the 1996 World Cup when the Champions Trophy will be played in Feb-Mar 2025.
Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi are set to host the matches featuring eight teams including India, Pakistan, Australia, Afghanistan, New Zealand, South Africa, England, and Bangladesh. However, the thorn in the perfect execution of the tournament is the Indian government’s refusal to send the Indian team to Pakistan.
The two sides have not played a bilateral series since 2012 and only meet in ICC and ACC events. India last toured Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2008. Even when Asia Cup 2023 was hosted by Pakistan, BCCI refused to send India to Pakistan and as a result, the tournament was played in a hybrid model with Sri Lanka hosting India’s matches including the semi-final and the final.
However, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has categorically refused to agree to host the tournament elsewhere and has now put the onus on ICC to bring India to Pakistan or arrange something else.
ICC sets aside special fund to host Champions Trophy in hybrid mode in case India refuses to come to Pakistan
According to a PCB source, while the budget for the Champions Trophy was approved at the recent ICC meetings in Colombo, the schedule and format didn’t come up for discussion at all.
“The PCB now has done what was required of it as hosts of the Champions Trophy. It has submitted the draft schedule and format for the event and also submitted budget for the event. It is now up to the ICC how soon they circulate, discuss and finalise the schedule of the Champions Trophy. The PCB for its part in the draft schedule has suggested hosting all of India’s games in Lahore including a semi-final (if India qualifies) and final,” PCB source told PTI.
Another source stated that the PCB has already submitted all details in their expression of interest dossier to the ICC to host the Champions Trophy.
“The PCB for its part has given in writing to the ICC about the tax modalities, venue selections and clearance from its government for the Indian team to be hosted in Pakistan for the mega event,” he added.
The PCB has now delegated responsibility to the ICC to finalize and announce the tournament schedule, as well as obtain confirmation from the BCCI on whether the Indian squad will travel to Pakistan.
The ICC has included supplemental charges in its tournament budget to cover the possibility of the Indian team having to play matches outside of Pakistan.
The BCCI has consistently stated that playing cricket in Pakistan is solely at the discretion of the government. The draft schedule shows that all of India’s games, including a probable semi-final and final, will be played in Lahore. The showpiece match between India and Pakistan is slated for March 1.