 "'Very slim chances India will agree to play in Pakistan': Former PCB chairman")
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is desperately seeking to keep the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 entirely within its borders. However, India’s unwillingness to travel to the neighbouring country poses a significant challenge those ambitions. The tournament is set to kick off on February 19 in Karachi, with the final scheduled for March 9 in Lahore. Given the current diplomatic tensions, it appears likely that India will not participate.
Former PCB chairman Khalid Mahmood has expressed that India’s decision not to send their team to Pakistan could prove detrimental to both the PCB and the ICC financially.
“They are very very slim chances they will agree to play in Pakistan,” Mahmood was quoted as saying by PTI.
“India is the richest cricket board and carries a lot of clout. If they don’t send their team to Pakistan I foresee even countries like Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh following their path. This would basically reduce the Champions Trophy into a venture where revenues will take a hit, expenses will grow and profits would fall,” he added
The former Pakistan team manager advised the PCB to adhere to its principle of separating sports from politics.
“Look the thing is at this level you can only lobby and try to convince other boards to be on your side. India has too much clout in the ICC it would do no good for Pakistan to adopt a tit for tat strategy. Thing is when the BCCI says it can’t send its team and will play its matches outside Pakistan, it does reduce the purpose for Pakistan of hosting an ICC event,” he asserted.
Reports suggest that Pakistan remain firm on their commitment to host all Champions Trophy matches domestically, asserting that it is ‘Pakistan’s event in Pakistan.’
The last time India visited Pakistan was in July 2008 for the Asia Cup. In the past 16 years, Pakistan has only played in India once for a bilateral series (in 2012–2013) and participated in the T20 World Cup in 2016 and the ODI World Cup in 2023.
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