England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) officials have reaffirmed that the 2025 Champions Trophy will go ahead with India participating, regardless of whether the team travels to Pakistan. Richard Gould, ECB chief executive, and Richard Thompson, ECB chair, made it clear that protecting the tournament’s broadcast rights would make it unfeasible to replace India in the lineup, even if geopolitical tensions cause complications.
The tournament, scheduled to be held in Pakistan across cities including Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, is significant as Pakistan has not hosted a major ICC event since the 1996 World Cup. However, with the political backdrop of strained relations between India and Pakistan, particularly over the last decade, India’s participation remains uncertain.
India last played a bilateral series in Pakistan in 2008. Since then, strained diplomatic relations between the two countries have prompted concerns over security and political hurdles, which have affected cricketing engagements.
Hybrid Model as a Contingency
While both Gould and Thompson expressed hope that India would take part, they acknowledged the possibility of a hybrid model—similar to what was used during the 2023 Asia Cup—if India decides not to travel. Under this model, India’s matches could be played at neutral venues, as was the case with Sri Lanka hosting India’s games during the Asia Cup.
However, the ECB chiefs stressed that it would not be in cricket’s best interests for the Champions Trophy to go ahead without India. “It would not be in cricket’s interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy,” said Thompson. He pointed out that key stakeholders, including Jay Shah, the current chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and former secretary of the BCCI, would play a crucial role in navigating the situation.
Importance of Broadcast Rights
Thompson and Gould emphasized the significant financial implications of the tournament’s broadcast rights, with the presence of both India and Pakistan being crucial for maximizing revenues. “If you play the Champions Trophy without India, or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them,” said Gould.
The upcoming Champions Trophy, which will feature eight teams—Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa—is set to be one of the most watched cricket events of the year.
Pakistani Commitment to Host
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) remains committed to hosting the tournament in full in Pakistan, with a draft schedule already submitted to the ICC. The proposed window for the tournament is from February 19 to March 9, 2025. Under the draft, India is set to play all its matches in Lahore, one of the three proposed venues.
PCB officials have made it clear they expect India to participate in the tournament. “We have prepared everything for a world-class event in Pakistan,” one official told ESPNcricinfo. The PCB is optimistic that any issues around India’s travel will be resolved and the event will be played in Pakistan as planned.
Looking Ahead
As the tournament date approaches, it remains to be seen whether the Indian team will receive government clearance to travel. Thompson predicted that decisions around India’s participation might come down to the wire, as political and security concerns between the two nations often dictate such decisions.
He said: “These things tend to go to the wire, as history has shown us, so I think that in those [last] six months, they’ll find a way.”
The Champions Trophy is a prestigious 50-over event, and while both the ECB and PCB are optimistic about hosting it with full participation, the final decision will depend on resolving the diplomatic and security issues between India and Pakistan.
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