India unlikely to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 winners – India is unlikely to travel to Pakistan to play the Champions Trophy 2025. The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to be played between February 19 and March 9 next year in Pakistan.

Owing to the political tension between India and Pakistan, both teams have not played any bilateral series since 2012-13. India and Pakistan will face off only in ICC and ACC tournaments.

India unlikely to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025

With the historic rival between India and Pakistan, many predicted that India will skip or request a neutral venue for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as Pakistan holds the hosting rights.

As expected reports have started to circulate in social media that India is unlikely to tour Pakistan to play the Champions Trophy 2025.

It will be the first global tournament that Pakistan has been the sole host for since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team. READ: “When going to Pakistan, security was an issue”: Kumar Sangakkara Recalls 2009 Lahore Bus Attack

The last major tournament to take place in the country was the 1996 Cricket World Cup which it co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka. As per the available information, any decision about India’s travel to Pakistan will be taken by 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. 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,” a source was quoted as saying.

“The government’s decision on this matter will be final, as we have not yet confirmed it internally. 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,” he added.

India hasn’t travelled to Pakistan since 2008. In the last 16 years, only once have these two teams played a bilateral series against each other, and that was way back in 2012–13.

This will not be the first for India to avoid travelling to Pakistan. Last year, India was supposed to travel to Pakistan to play the Asia Cup 2023 but opted not to. Later PCB decided to host all India matches including the final in Sri Lanka.

Despite India’s decision to skip the Pakitan tour, PCB allowed its players to tour India to feature in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 which was hosted by India. Pakistan played matches in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata.

Earlier this week, a report circulated that PCB has finalised its draft for the Champions Trophy. It was reported that PCB assigned seven matches to Lahore, five to Rawalpindi, and three to Karachi.

PCB planned to host the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 1.

“The PCB has submitted the draft of the 15-match ICC Champions Trophy. Seven games in Lahore, three in Karachi, and five in Rawalpindi,” a source in the ICC was quoted as saying by PTI.

“The opening match will be held in Karachi, with two semifinals in Karachi and Rawalpindi and a final in Lahore. All India matches (including semifinals if the team qualifies) will be played in Lahore,” the source added.

Though the dates and venues have not yet been revealed officially, BCCI seems to stand strong in their decision not to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. BCCI is expected to allow its players to participate in the Champions Trophy 2025 if the hosts propose a neutral venue for the India vs Pakistan clash.

The Champions Trophy 2025 will be played in One Day International format while the tournament will follow the round-robin and knockout format. A total of 15 matches will be played between eight teams.

champions Trophy 2025 Participating Teams

Being a host, Pakistan automatically qualified for the Champions Trophy while the top seven teams from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 excluding the host qualified for the event set to be played in Pakistan.