The Indian cricket team has decided not to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy next year, which marks the tournament’s return after an eight-year hiatus. As reported by the Indian Express, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formally communicated this decision to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), citing security concerns. The BCCI has requested that all its matches be hosted in Dubai. “This has been our stance, and there is no reason to change it. We have informed them in writing and requested the relocation of our matches to Dubai,” a BCCI official disclosed to the Indian Express under the condition of anonymity.
The last major tournament hosted by Pakistan was the 2023 Asia Cup, conducted under a ‘Hybrid Model’ that saw India play its matches in Sri Lanka, including the final.
This latest development follows a meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad.
Reports also suggest that the PCB had proposed an alternative arrangement where the Indian team would return to India after each game. However, this option was reportedly rejected by the BCCI, which remains firm on its stance against playing in Pakistan.
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The ICC is unlikely to intervene in the BCCI’s decision, as it cannot compel any cricket board to act against its government’s directives.
According to the PCB’s tentative schedule, the highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan is set for March 1, 2025, in Lahore. The tournament is planned to begin on February 19, 2025, with Pakistan playing New Zealand in Karachi, and the final slated for March 9 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
All of India’s matches are currently scheduled to take place in Lahore for reasons of security and logistics. The PCB is urging the ICC to confirm the tournament schedule by next week, coinciding with a visit from high-ranking ICC officials to Lahore.