The Champions Trophy 2025 is the next ICC event that India will be looking to win after the T20 World Cup 2024 victory. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Pakistan, as the country are hosting their first ICC event since the 1996 ODI World Cup. However, there are serious doubts as to whether India will travel to the country at all, as many reports have stated that ICC have informed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the government of India have not permitted the Indian team to travel. Now, it looks like the PCB are not going to accept things without a fight.
PCB Wants Written Explanation From BCCI
According to a report by ESPN Cricinfo, the PCB has written to ICC and asked them to provide them a written confirmation from the BCCI stating that they are unable to take part in the Champions Trophy 2025. They have also asked for a written justification from the BCCI as to why they cannot send Team India for the tournament in Pakistan.
The ICC communication to the PCB came on November 8, three days before a scheduled launch event for the Champions Trophy 2025, 100 days prior to the tentative start of the tournament on February 9. However, the cloud of uncertainty regarding whether India would travel to Pakistan has postponed the event.
No Chance Of Hybrid Model
There have been reports that India would play their Champions Trophy 2025 games in UAE, as the tournament is set to be held in the hybrid model, like how the Asia Cup 2023 was held. However, the ESPN Cricinfo report states that a PCB official has said that there is no chance of such a hybrid model to be implemented for the Champions Trophy 2025.
This is because they are aggrieved by what happened last year. PCB had agreed for the Asia Cup 2023 to be played in a hybrid model, and also travelled to India for the ODI World Cup 2023, in a hope that India in return to would come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.