There are still clouds of doubt over the participation of India in the Champions Trophy 2025, which is expected to take place from the third week of February in Pakistan. The three grounds- the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the National Stadium in Karachi, and the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi- are going to hold all the games.
India has been allotted Lahore for all of their games in the eight-team tournament so that they won’t have to make so much travel around the country. But, with the relationship in the political aspects, between the two countries, especially after the terror attack in 2008, the Green and Blue Brigade has stopped being part of the bilateral series.
Pakistan players have been ruled out from taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL), while their last bilateral series was held in 2012. Since then, they have come to this part of the border during the 2016 T20 World Cup and then the 2023 ODI World Cup recently.
But despite that, on many of the past occasions, the BCCI members have been asked to give an update on their travel to Pakistan, and every time, they have left the decision to take on the government of India.
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“No decision has been taken (yet). But our policy is that for international tours, we always seek permission from the government. It’s up to the government to decide whether our team should go to any country or our team should not go to any country.” Rajiv Shukla, the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) expressed a few days ago.
He also spilled the beans that Jay Shah will take the decision as an independent ICC (International Cricket Council) on the participation of the Blue Brigade of the CT 2025.
India denies accepting new proposal from Pakistan
Last time when Pakistan held the Asia Cup 2023, the BCCI requested the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to follow the Hybrid model, by which they played all of their games in Sri Lanka. Even despite being the host of the event, the Babar Azam-led side flew to Kandy to face the Indian side for the games.
They may try to follow the same trend to play their games of the Champions Trophy 2025 in either Dubai or Sri Lanka. The decision will be up to the ICC’s independent chairman, Jay Shah, to take.
Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent a proposal to India to come back to Delhi or Chandigarh after each of their games in the event, they have no belief in the security of the Pakistan side. For that, they are also prepared to keep the games of the Indian side in a gap of a week to ensure that the players would be getting enough rest in between the games and travel.
However, the reports of Danik Jagran have eased out the possibility of such development. They are crystal clear about not making a tour to Pakistan for the competition.
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“A senior BCCI official said that this is not the first time that a proposal has come from Pakistan. Even if a proposal comes to send the Indian team to Pakistan before the Champions Trophy match and bring it back to India after the match, it will be rejected.” The report has claimed.
The ICC members are expected to meet in the last week of October before taking the final decision on the long-lasting matter.
