Indian government denies Team India the permission to travel to Pakistan for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The Indian government has denied the Indian cricket team permission to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, according to the reports. The next year's ICC Champions Trophy is in jeopardy with India not likely to travel to the neighbouring country.

While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is trying its best to bring the Indian team for the tournament, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it clear that they will require the permission of the Indian government to send the team to Pakistan.

Watch: Babar Azam struggles against Naseem Shah's brother in nets, cops a painful blow too

Indian government denies Team India permission to travel to Pakistan for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

In a video on his YouTube channel, sports journalist Vimal Kumar confirmed through his sources that India won't be travelling to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 until Pakistan does not stop cross-border terrorism from their side. Kumar added that Pakistan will have to provide India with the assurance that there will be zero cross-border activities from Pakistan.

"BCCI doesn't have a stand on this. BCCI's stand is the Indian government's stand. The Indian government's stand is clear. India won't visit Pakistan till they do not stop the cross-border terrorism."

"If Pakistan wants India to visit their country, their media should pressurize their government and give an assurance to India that there will be no cross-border terrorism from Pakistan's side," Vimal Kumar said in the video.

Vimal Kumar later concluded by saying, "As of now, India is not going to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy."

Meanwhile, according to the reports, the PCB wants BCCI to provide them the written proof of the denial of the Indian government's permission to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025, citing a travel ban on security grounds.

Recently, India witnessed cross-border activities from Pakistan's side which saw four Army personnel and an officer killed during an encounter with the terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir's Doda district. The attack was claimed by a terrorist outfit called 'Kashmir Tigers', which is a shadow group of Pakistan-backed terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

Indian team last travelled to Pakistan in 2008

The relations between the two countries have been strained for a long time now, which has not allowed the teams to play each other in a bilateral series. While Pakistan wants to play India, the BCCI has continuously avoided playing Pakistan in any bilateral series. As a result, both teams have only met in Asia Cups or World Cups in the past few months.

India last travelled to Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup tournament. Since then, India hasn't travelled to Pakistan for any tournament. Even in last year's Asia Cup, Pakistan had to host the tournament in a hybrid manner to accommodate India's involvement. All of India's matches in the tournament were played in Sri Lanka, which included the final as well.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has visited India quite often. Their recent visit was in 2023 when Pakistan visited India for the World Cup. The last bilateral series between the two nations was played in 2013 when Pakistan visited India for three T20Is and three ODIs.