The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to be hosted by Pakistan, is currently shrouded in uncertainty. The reason? India is reluctant to travel to Pakistan, leading to a potential standoff that could impact future tournaments.
Boycott Threat from Pakistan
In a new twist, Pakistani media reports suggest that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering boycotting the T20 World Cup 2026, if India refuses to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next year.
The 2026 T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and this potential boycott is seen as a tit-for-tat move by the PCB. However, will PCB really boycott or will these threats will once again fall flat, time will tell.
The PCB is adamant about hosting the 2025 Champions Trophy entirely within Pakistan. However, reports indicate that the BCCI has asked the ICC to consider a hybrid model, relocating India’s matches to either Dubai or Sri Lanka.
The PCB has yet to respond officially to these reports, but significant discussions are expected during the ICC’s annual meeting from July 19-22 in Colombo.
A Déjà Vu Scenario
This isn’t the first time such a situation has arisen. Before the Asia Cup 2023, the BCCI pushed for a hybrid model and succeeded. In response, the PCB threatened to boycott the 2023 World Cup. However, Pakistan, on ICC’s request, traveled to India but faced an early exit from the tournament.
India last traveled to Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup. With the Champions Trophy 2025 scheduled for February, according to PCB’s draft fixtures, the question of whether India will make the trip remains unanswered.
Recent reports suggest that the ICC is planning to host India’s games in the UAE, but nothing is confirmed yet. The upcoming ICC annual meeting will be crucial in determining the fate of the Champions Trophy 2025.
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