According to a report in Dainik Jagran, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rejected PCB’s proposal to play in Pakistan and return to India on the same day in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. However, as per BCCI’s official statement, they have yet to receive any official proposal from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the Champions Trophy 2025.
There has been much speculation about India’s participation because the government has yet to state whether the team will travel to Pakistan. According to media sources, the PCB has recommended a plan for the Indian cricket team to return to Delhi or Chandigarh after each game due to security concerns.
However, the report quoted a BCCI insider as adding that the BCCI has not received any such request from the PCB as of yet, and the decision is entirely up to the Indian government.
On grounds of terrorism across the border, and due to political discords India and Pakistan have not played a single bilateral series for nearly a decade, and their only encounters were registered in ICC tournaments. While India’s Champions Trophy participation remains uncertain, Pakistan has traveled to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is mentally prepared for India’s reluctance to go to the country for the Champions Trophy, but the tournament’s title clash will remain in Lahore even if the arch-rivals qualify for the final on March 9, according to reports on Friday.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board will debate the PCB’s position on hosting the final when it meets in Dubai from October 18 to 21.
“The PCB’s first priority is to host the entire Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and they are counting on this, but internally, the Board is also mentally prepared to hear about the Indian government not allowing its team to play in Pakistan and India’s matches being held in the UAE. But the PCB has decided even in the event of India not playing in Pakistan, they want the final to be held in Lahore. Even if India qualifies for the final, the PCB wants the ICC to hold the match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore,” the PCB source said.
On the other hand, the BCCI may seek the ICC stage of the tournament in a hybrid model, with matches relocated to either Sri Lanka or Dubai, as was done with the Asia Cup last year.
