India could be replaced by this team if they pull out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan

As the T20 World Cup 2024 has come to an end, another ICC tournament is in sight now. The next ICC event, ICC Champions Trophy 2025, is scheduled to be held in February-March next year in Pakistan.

But problems have already started to arise even before the tournament started and the biggest problem is India's arrival to Pakistan. Likely, India won't be travelling to Pakistan and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will push the ICC for a hybrid model just like the Asia Cup last year.

According to this model, all the matches which will feature India will be played outside Pakistan. In Asia Cup 2023, Sri Lanka hosted India's matches and the final of the tournament as well.

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India could be replaced by this team if they pull out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

It remains to be seen what step does International Cricket Council (ICC) take now. According to the reports, the PCB has clearly said that they won't allow the tournament to be played in a hybrid model, which could mean India pulling out of the tournament.

There are high chance that the Indian government won't permit their team to travel for the mega event, which could also mean that the tournament will be held without India. In that case, Sri Lanka will take India's spot in the eight-team competition.

Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to its poor rankings at the cut-off date. According to the rules, the top seven teams alongside the hosts Pakistan are guaranteed participation in the Champions Trophy.

At the cut-off date, Sri Lanka was placed one spot below Bangladesh, which meant the island nation missed the cut to make it into the tournament. However, if India pulls out of the tournament and ICC doesn't agree to the hybrid model, Sri Lanka will get a golden chance and qualify for the mega event.

No ICC event in Pakistan in 28 years

Pakistan hasn't hosted any major ICC event since the ODI World Cup in 1996, where they jointly hosted the tournament alongside India and Sri Lanka.

The country hosted the 2008 Asia Cup and were also the host of the 2023 Asia Cup which was played in a hybrid model. The previous edition of the Champions Trophy was played in 2017 when Pakistan defeated India in the final.

Meanwhile, India hasn't travelled to Pakistan since the year 2008, when they went there to play the Asia Cup. Since then, there have been strained political ties between the two nations resulting in very less games between these two teams. The 2008 Mumbai terror attacks were another key factor in the ties between the two countries getting worse.

The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was played in 2013 when Pakistan travelled to India for a T20I and an ODI series. Since then, both countries have only faced each other in Asia Cups and ICC events.