The Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) has denied sending Team India to Pakistan for the proposed Champions Trophy 2025 clash in Lahore, as per a report in the ANI. It is understood that the BCCI will discuss with the ICC to shift its matches to Sri Lanka or Dubai.
Team India has not visited Pakistan since 2008 due to the government implications after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. The last time Pakistan toured India for a bilateral series was in 2012-13. Since then, the arch-rivals have competed against each other only in the ICC events and Asia Cup.
“India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Will tell ICC to hold its matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka,” a BCCI source told ANI.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed three venues for the Champions Trophy 2025: Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. According to the draft, all the matches for Team India were supposed to take place in Lahore only, due to the security and logistical reasons with the event slated to take place in February next year.
The BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla in May had suggested that Team India’s tour to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025 will depend upon the government’s permission.
“In the case of the Champion Trophy, we will do whatever the Government of India will tell us to do. We send our team only when the Government of India permits us. So we will go according to the decision of the Indian government,” Shukla told ANI.
