ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Ahmed Shehzad launches all-out attack on India over CT stance

The upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is becoming a rift in the already strained cricketing relations between India and Pakistan, with emotions running high in the host country. Recently, Ahmed Shehzad challenged India’s stance on participating in a tournament in Pakistan.

Expressing growing frustrations, the Pakistani cricketer leveled accusations that India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has nothing much more to do with cricket but far more to do with the political relationship between the two nations.

Ahmed Shehzad demands a firm stance from Pakistan over India's reluctance to Champions Trophy 2025

Ahmed Shehzad has noted that Pakistan always praised India for their on-field achievements, but they always made fake promises to them. Shehzad asserted that the BCCI has made repeated commitments but ultimately withdraws when it comes time to fulfill them.

He has called for a bold response, suggesting that if India continues to refuse, Pakistan must be ready to move forward without them in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, but the tournament should not be shifted out of Pakistan or India’s matches in a neutral venue.

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Actually, Ahmed Shehzad has issued a powerful message for Pakistan to adopt a firm stance regarding India's repeated reluctance to cross the border, accusing BCCI of derailing the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (BCCI) efforts for major ICC events after years.

Furthermore, Shehzad slammed India for insulting the spirit of the game and undermining Pakistan’s hosting capabilities with their politically influenced behavior. Shahzad also mentioned that India has continually crossed boundaries, creating an environment where they cannot be trusted.

India has been lying for a long time, time to show some action: Ahmed Shehzad

Now, Shehzad is urging the PCB to move beyond diplomatic patience and declare a clear, uncompromising stance to India. He suggested that if India continues to hold back, then Pakistan should be prepared to move forward without them to set an example for the future.

Ahmed Shehzad said on the Pakistani channel Geo News: “Pakistan now needs to step forward and clarify its stance. We've known for a long time that India is making false promises. Whenever they play well, we praise them because they deserve it. But when it comes to this issue (coming to Pakistan), India has been lying for a long time.

Even before, whenever Pakistan would try to do something like this (hosting a mega event), India would try to financially damage it. And this time, they've crossed the line. Pakistan needs to take a strong stance. If India doesn't want to come, let them stay away—enough is enough!”

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PCB set to challenge BCCI in front of ICC

In response to India's decision not to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025, the PCB is reportedly gearing up to challenge the move by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). According to Dawn newspaper, the PCB intends to ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) for clarification on the reasons behind BCCI's stance.

Although a hybrid model was proposed by the BCCI and ICC, which would allow India to compete at a neutral location, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is said to be firmly against this compromise, especially having spent millions on the tournament.