The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the Indian team will not participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy if it is held in Pakistan.
Citing advice from the Indian government, the BCCI conveyed this stance, leaving the ICC and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to consider alternative arrangements.
The Champions Trophy, featuring eight teams, is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
With India’s refusal, the ICC may explore a hybrid model, involving matches in Pakistan and a secondary location, most likely the UAE or Sri Lanka.
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However, implementing this plan faces hurdles, as PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi recently ruled out the hybrid model, stressing no such discussions had occurred.
The PCB has demanded formal written objections from the BCCI to initiate any dialogue. Naqvi highlighted Pakistan’s previous goodwill gestures, including its participation in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, despite India’s refusal to travel for the 2023 Asia Cup, which adopted a similar hybrid structure.
pThe political tension between India and Pakistan has kept bilateral series off the calendar since 2012, with ICC tournaments being the only platform for the two teams to compete.
