No Hybrid Model!! ICC Champions Trophy 2025 to completely move out of Pakistan as BCCI convinces ECB and Cricket Australia
Published - 20 Jul 2024, 11:41 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:16 AM
The hosting rights of Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 are in danger. The tournament might be held outside Pakistan entirely if India maintains its stance of not travelling to Pakistan.
Since the T20 World Cup 2024 has concluded, there have been speculations about India's participation in the event if they refuse to travel to Pakistan. While all the teams have agreed to travel for the event, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has maintained its stance that it will need permission from the Indian government regarding the safety of its players.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has maintained its stance that cross-border terrorism must stop from Pakistan's side to initiate the cricketing relations between the two countries.
Pakistan's Champions Trophy 2025 hosting rights in danger
According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, the International Cricket Council (ICC) can move the entire Champions Trophy 2025 event outside Pakistan if India doesn't get the required permission to travel. The report also states that the tournament can be shifted entirely to Dubai or Sri Lanka.
Some sources in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) also confirmed the development that the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is likely to be shifted from Pakistan if India refuses to go there. It is believed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had already submitted a draft schedule of the tournament to the ICC.
The reports also mention that Cricket Australia (CA) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are in favour of BCCI in their decision not to travel to Pakistan. The cricket boards of Australia and England are likely to support BCCI on this matter in the ICC executive committee meeting.
According to the draft schedule, the tournament will take place from February 19 to March 5, 2025. The marquee clash between India and Pakistan will take place on March 1 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Strained relations between India and Pakistan
The political relations between India and Pakistan have been strained since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Since then, India hasn't travelled to Pakistan and both teams have played mostly in Asia Cups and ICC tournaments.
The last bilateral series between the two nations was played way back in 2013 when Pakistan travelled to India for three T20Is and three ODIs. Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1 while the T20I series ended in a 1-1 draw.
Pakistan recently travelled to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they failed to make it to the semi-finals. The Men in Green even travelled to India for the T20 World Cup 2016. The next ICC tournament that will be held in India is the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The Champions Trophy is being held after a gap of 8 years. The tournament was earlier scrapped but the ICC decided to bring it back. The tournament will be played between 8 teams, which will be divided equally into two groups.
Tagged:
India National Cricket Team Pakistan National Cricket Team ICC Champions Trophy The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)
