India set to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025? Report makes revelation about PCB's 'no Plan B' act

A massive update on the India team’s participation in the Champions Trophy 2025 has come. As per the reports in Express News, it is learned that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is confident about the Rohit Sharma-led side coming to Pakistan for the tournament.

The reports claimed that the Pakistani Cricket Board has made no plan B and there aren’t any talks for the hybrid model. The governing body has also not contacted UAE, which depicts that India’s travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy might be on the cards and India will be playing in Pakistan.

Champions Trophy 2025 will be taking place in Pakistan in February next year. One of the talking points related to the tournament has been whether India will travel to Pakistan or not. This is because the two nations don’t gel well and also aren’t on regular cricket terms.

PCB has not prepared a Plan B for the Champions Trophy 2025, and officials are confident that the Indian team will come to Lahore.There is no intention to implement a hybrid model, and no contact has been made with the UAE. The upgrade work on stadiums will completed by December

— Saleem Khaliq (@saleemkhaliq) M<!---->a<!---->y<!----> <!---->2<!---->8<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->4

Due to the political tensions, India and Pakistan only meet each other in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups. However, with the ICC tournament slated to take place in Pakistan itself, India’s travel to the neighboring nation becomes a cause of concern for the PCB as well as the ICC.

Recently there were reports that BCCI isn’t keen to send India to Pakistan due to security reasons. The decision will be taken only after the Indian government takes a call on it and till then there’s no chance that India will be travelling to Pakistan.

During the Asia Cup 2023, due to the same issue, the tournament was held in a hybrid model. Pakistan was scheduled to host the entire tournament but it ultimately made way for the hybrid model, where India's games were held in Sri Lanka.

However, with new reports claiming that PCB is confident of India visiting Pakistan, it will be for the first time in nearly 17 years that they will be playing in their neighboring nation. The official confirmation is yet to come but with no hybrid model being discussed, it might be a reality.

India to play their games in Champions Trophy 2025 at Lahore

Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board made a draft schedule for the Champions Trophy 2025. Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi are the three venues that are likely to host the tournament, which will be played over two months in February 2025.

As per the reports in ESPNCricinfo, it is learned that India will be playing all their games in Lahore, where the final will be played as well. This is because PCB wants to avoid considerable logistical and security headaches around their travel.

The Champions Trophy will be the first ICC event that will be played in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup when they were joint hosts with India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan are currently defending champions in the tournament and would be keen to win the title. It remains to be seen if India will go to Pakistan or not.