The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally requested a written explanation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding India’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The PCB has asked for both confirmation of India’s inability to travel and a justification for the decision after the ICC informed them that the Indian government has not granted permission for the Indian team to participate.
The Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place from February 19, 2025. However, uncertainty surrounds the tournament following India’s refusal, with the PCB insisting that the event will be held entirely in Pakistan, without the option of a hybrid model that would allow India to play matches in a neutral venue, such as the UAE.
The PCB’s position remains unchanged, despite discussions about a hybrid model similar to the one used for the 2023 Asia Cup, where India played its matches in the UAE while Pakistan hosted games in Sri Lanka. The PCB has ruled out this possibility for the Champions Trophy, emphasizing that the tournament will be hosted solely in Pakistan.
The situation has also delayed the planned launch event for the tournament, which was set to begin a 100-day countdown on November 11 in Lahore.
Pakistan had agreed to a hybrid model for the Asia Cup last year with the hope that India would reciprocate by traveling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. However, with India’s refusal to travel, the PCB has expressed its frustration, noting that the tournament was awarded to Pakistan three years ago without objections.
The PCB has now involved the Pakistan government, and any further decisions about the tournament will likely be influenced by government-level negotiations.
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