Mumbai: The Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a BCCI source informed on Thursday.
Pakistan received the right to host the tournament next year but Team India travelling to the neighbouring nation has remained due to historical and political tensions between the two sides since independence.
Due to strained political relations, India has avoided playing cricket in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup. The last bilateral series between the archrivals occurred in India from December 2012 to January 2013. Since then, their encounters have been limited to ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board proposed that India play all its matches in Lahore. However, the BCCI is not interested in travelling to Pakistan. In May, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla mentioned that the Indian team would visit Pakistan for the tournament only if the Central government allowed it.
The BCCI has reportedly maintained its stance against sending Team India to Pakistan. In the 2023 Asia Cup, the Men in Blue did not travel to Pakistan and instead played their matches in Sri Lanka. However, the Men in Green toured India for the ODI World Cup last year, where they were knocked out in the league stage of the tournament.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to host India’s matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka.
