 "Indian cricket team could play its 2025 Champions Trophy matches at neutral venues. AP")
The Indian cricket team’s participation in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan next year has become uncertain. As per sources close to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Team India is unlikely to travel to Pakistan for the tournament scheduled to take place in Februay-March 2025, reported news agency ANI on Thursday.
The sources also added that BCCI will ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) to host India’s matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka.
The eight-team tournament will be played from 19 February to 9 March.
India scheduled to play Pakistan in Lahore
As per the initial draft for the Champions Trophy, India and Pakistan will face off against each other at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 1 March. Overall, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has allocated seven matches to Lahore, five to Rawalpindi, and three to Karachi, as per the news agency PTI.
“The PCB has submitted the draft of the 15-match ICC Champions Trophy. Seven games in Lahore, three in Karachi, and five in Rawalpindi,” a source from ICC revealed.
“The opening match will be held in Karachi, with two semifinals in Karachi and Rawalpindi and a final in Lahore. All India matches (including semifinals, if the team qualifies) will be played in Lahore.”
No IND vs PAK bilateral series in over 10 years
However, it is important to mention that Team India has not travelled to Pakistan since 2008. Even last year, India’s Asia Cup matches and the final were held in Sri Lanka and not in Pakistan who were the original hosts.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsPakistan, however, have travelled to India for cricket in the same period. The Men in Green were in India last year for the 2023 ODI World Cup and also the last bilateral assignment between the two bitter neighbours involving two T20Is and three ODIs took place in India in 2012-13.
The Champions Trophy was last played in England in 2017 in which Pakistan defeated India in the final.