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The talks around the Champions Trophy are intensifying with Team India’s participation yet to be confirmed. The Champions Trophy, which marks its return after being last played in 2017 in England, will be played in February-March 2025 in Pakistan. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is confident of hosting the tournament in the country while ensuring the participation of all teams.
But according to recent reports, the PCB has put forward a unique proposal to confirm India’s successful participation in the marquee tournament. As per a report published by Cricbuzz, the PBC has written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), suggesting that India should travel to India after each game if they do not wish to stay in Pakistan.
India to travel back to the country after each game: PCB offers unique suggestion
The report quoting Cricbuzz states that the PCB has written to the apex board in India “offering assistance should the Indian team prefer to return to India - either to Chandigarh or New Delhi - after each game to avoid staying in Pakistan due to security concerns.” However, a PCB source informed the PTI on Friday, October 18 adding that the board had not made any suggestions in writing and just communicated the plan verbally.
"But yes, it is true that these options have been discussed verbally between officials as a way to ensure that India plays its matches in Pakistan," the source further added, as quoted in India Today. Furthermore, the report stated that there is nearly a week-long gap between India’s last two matches and the PCB has suggested that India can travel back home during that time.
As per the tentative schedule proposed by the PCB, the Champions Trophy is slated to take place from February 19 to March 9 with matches set to be played in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi. Furthermore, India is set to play all its matches in Lahore, against Bangladesh on February 20, against Pakistan on February 23 and against New Zealand on March 2. It is to be noted that India has not played Pakistan in a bilateral series since 2012-13 due to the strained political tensions. The two countries have locked horns only during ICC tournaments, which came last at the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA.
