India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025 tournament, the BCIC has confirmed to the ICC in a written letter. The BCCI has also requested ICC to play all of Team India’s matches in Dubai due to security concerns.
Pakistan will host the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is set to take place from February 19 to March 9 of next year. Due to logistical and security issues, all of Team India’s matches will be held in Lahore, according to the PCB’s provisional itinerary given to the ICC.
To ensure the event runs well, the Pakistan Cricket Board has committed millions of rupees in stadium upgrades in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
India says no to playing Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan
In an official letter to the ICC, the Indian Board of Control for Cricket has requested that India’s games be moved to Dubai.
“Yes, the BCCI has conveyed their concerns regarding Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. They want to play matches at a neutral venue and Dubai is the strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue,” says a source to the Times of India.
The Champions Trophy will feature eight teams, with the host cities being Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. The BCCI has maintained its position against visiting Pakistan. Despite PCB pressure last year, Team India was able to transfer its Asia Cup 2023 matches to Sri Lanka.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already drafted the calendar for the multi-nation competition, with India set to play their games in Lahore.
Dubai is an appealing possibility because the ICC has staged multiple high-profile competitions there, including the recent Women’s T20 World Cup, which was relocated from Bangladesh owing to political upheaval in the nation.
According to the Indian Express, the Pakistan Cricket Board has requested that India return home after each Champions Trophy play to maintain security. However, the ICC has not issued a final ruling on this matter.
Since the 2009 terrorist attack on Sri Lankan players, international cricket in Pakistan has been suspended. Teams from England and Bangladesh have toured. The last time India visited Pakistan for a bilateral series was in 2006 when Rahul Dravid led the Indian team to a 4-1 victory in five one-day international matches.
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