India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next year may trigger a strong response from the Pakistan government that may ask its cricket board to withdraw from the tournament, according to a report in ‘Dawn’.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has written to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), informing them about the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision that the Indian team won’t travel to Pakistan for the tournament, which is scheduled to be played from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
The Champions Trophy, which is making its return to the ICC calendar after 2017, could be turned into a ‘hybrid’ model, with India playing all their matches at a different venue, most likely in the UAE, while the rest of the tournament is hosted by Pakistan.
The report states that the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has “ruled out the possibility” of a hybrid model, which could force the ICC to move the entire tournament out of Pakistan.
That may lead to Pakistan pulling out of the Champions Trophy.
“In such a case, one of the options the government is mulling is that of asking the PCB to ensure Pakistan don’t participate in the Champions Trophy,” the report quoted its source.
Naqvi is also an interior minister in the country’s federal government.
India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral series since 2012, but continued to face off in ICC tournaments, including the ODI World Cup last year in India.
Notably, the Asia Cup hosted by Pakistan last year was also turned into a hybrid model after India refused to play in Pakistan. India then played all their matches in Sri Lanka.