The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Sunday that India will not participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan. This decision comes amid ongoing political tensions between the two countries, which have prevented any bilateral cricket series for over a decade. The last time India played in Pakistan was for the Asia Cup in 2008.
According to PCB spokesman Sami Ul Hasan, the International Cricket Council (ICC) received an email from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), stating that India’s team would not be traveling to Pakistan for the tournament. Hasan added that the PCB has forwarded this email to the Pakistani government for further guidance and advice.
Champions Trophy Schedule in Limbo
The Champions Trophy, featuring eight teams, is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025, across three cities in Pakistan – Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi. However, the final schedule of the event is now uncertain, as India’s participation has not been confirmed. The International Cricket Council had planned to release the official schedule this week, but the current standoff could cause delays.
PCB Chairman Moshin Naqvi ruled out the possibility of a hybrid model, which would have seen India play its matches on neutral venues like the United Arab Emirates. Naqvi expressed his frustration, stating that while Pakistan has made friendly gestures toward India in the past, such gestures should not be expected indefinitely.
Naqvi also commented on the future of Pakistan’s participation in events held in India. He stated that the Pakistani government would make the final decision on whether the country will participate in future events in India, depending on how the situation evolves with India’s non-participation in the Champions Trophy.
ICC Event Features Top ODI Teams
The Champions Trophy is one of the premier One Day International (ODI) tournaments, held after the World Cup. The 2025 event will feature Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa. As the countdown to the event reaches 100 days, the uncertainty surrounding India’s participation remains a major point of concern for the PCB.
Since their last bilateral series in the 2012-13 season, India and Pakistan have only faced each other in ICC multi-nation tournaments. Last year, Pakistan visited India for the ODI World Cup, and the PCB had hoped that India would reciprocate for the Champions Trophy. In contrast, the previous Asia Cup was played under a hybrid model, with India playing their matches in Sri Lanka instead of Pakistan.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday that it received communication from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding India's reluctance to participate in the Champions Trophy scheduled for February-March next year in Pakistan. Due to ongoing political tensions, India has notified the ICC of its inability to travel, pushing the PCB towards a potential hybrid model for the tournament.
PCB Chairman Rules Out Hybrid Format
PCB Chairman Moshin Naqvi, however, has dismissed the idea of a hybrid format. Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra expressed doubt about the tournament’s feasibility without India’s involvement, noting that broadcasters would likely withdraw or demand financial adjustments in the absence of Indian participation. “Without India, the tournament’s financial viability drastically reduces,” Chopra stated on his YouTube channel.
The Pakistan government has reportedly instructed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to resist India's request to relocate Champions Trophy matches to Dubai, following India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 tournament.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had informed the PCB about the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) stance, suggesting that India’s games be moved to a neutral venue due to security concerns.
However, the PCB has asserted its commitment to hosting the event in Pakistan, with an official stating that the government has made it clear that no games will be moved outside the country. The PCB has also requested clarification from the ICC regarding the BCCI’s decision.
Despite similar tensions before the 2023 Asia Cup, where India’s matches were shifted to Sri Lanka after the PCB initially insisted on hosting the tournament in Pakistan, the PCB remains firm in its position.
The Champions Trophy is set to begin in February 2025, with Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi as the designated host cities. The ongoing impasse highlights the political and security challenges that continue to impact cricketing ties between the two nations, which have not played each other in a non-ICC event since 2013.
With inputs from agencies
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