The Indian men’s cricket team is unlikely to travel to Pakistan next year to take part in the 2025 edition of the ICC Champions Trophy. According to a report in Sports Tak on Saturday (July 6), the Men in Blue will not travel to Pakistan for the eight-team ICC event, which will be played from February 19 to March 9.
As per the available information, any decision about India’s travel to Pakistan will be taken by the Indian government.
“While the details of the tournament have not yet been discussed, it is highly unlikely that the Indian team will travel to Pakistan. Ultimately, the decision rests with the Indian government. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plans to raise this issue at the upcoming ICC meeting in Sri Lanka this month,” a source was quoted as saying.
“The government’s decision on this matter will be final, as we have not yet confirmed it internally. Since this is an ICC event, we do not have the authority to make any unilateral decisions. However, more details may emerge during the next ICC meeting,” he added.
India hasn’t travelled to Pakistan since 2008. In the last 16 years, only once have these two teams played a bilateral series against each other, and that was way back in 2012–13.
India was supposed to travel to Pakistan last year to take part in the Asia Cup, but due to tensions between the two nations, the tournament was moved out of Pakistan, and India’s matches, including the final, were played in Sri Lanka.
However, despite India’s decision to skip the Pakistan tour, Pakistan travelled to India to take part in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 and played matches in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata.
Pakistan’s draft for CT 2025
A couple of days ago, it was reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had furnished its draft for the Champions Trophy 2025 and assigned seven matches to Lahore, five to Rawalpindi, and three to Karachi. It was mentioned in the report that the high-voltage match between India and Pakistan will take place at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 1.
“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 in the ICC was quoted as saying by PTI.
“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,” the source added.
The last edition of the ICC Champions Trophy was played in England (2017), where in the final, Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Pakistan defeated Virat Kohli’s India by 180 runs.
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