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The Indian cricket team's participation in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February 19th to March 9th, is hanging in the balance due to India's refusal to travel to the neighboring country. This decision, reportedly communicated to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has sparked concerns about the tournament's feasibility, prompting the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to explore alternative arrangements.
A “contingency plan” is being considered, which involves hosting the tournament under a hybrid model. This model would require teams to travel from Pakistan to another country for certain matches, effectively splitting the event across multiple locations. This proposal, however, faces resistance from the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who expressed his opposition to the hybrid model and demanded a written statement from the BCCI outlining their objections.
The potential shift to a hybrid model highlights the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, which have historically impacted cricketing relations between the two nations. While Pakistan had traveled to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, India's decision to decline participation in the 2023 Asia Cup held in Pakistan, led to the tournament being hosted in a hybrid model. This precedent underscores the complexities surrounding cricketing engagements between the two countries.
The ICC is currently awaiting a formal written communication from the BCCI regarding their decision, after which the information will be passed on to the PCB. The announcement of the Champions Trophy schedule, initially planned for next week, is likely to be postponed due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding India's participation. The 2025 Champions Trophy is a pivotal event in the cricketing calendar, and the unresolved issue of India's participation casts a shadow over the tournament's future, prompting speculation and discussions about potential solutions to ensure the tournament's success.
Source: India not to travel to Pakistan for 2025 Champions Trophy, BCCI informs ICC: Report