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After Babar Azam-led Pakistan cricket team travelled to India for the ODI World Cup in 2023, there are questions now whether India will travel to the neighbouring nation for the 2025 Champions Trophy. But according to recent reports, the ICC will have to look for a neutral venue or host the tournament in a hybrid model in order to see India participate.
A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source told IANS on Tuesday, April 23, the Champions Trophy is likely to get shifted outside of Pakistan. “F o rget bilateral series …. Team India may not even travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. There might be a change of venue, so hybrid model is also possible," a BCCI source said.
“The Indian board would need permission from the government for travel. Currently our relations with Pakistan are not that good either,” sources told IANS. “Champions trophy is an ICC event, so it would be a tough call for India but nothing without the government’s order/green signal,” he further added.
Bilateral series, I don’t see in the near future: BCCI Source
However, India’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is still to be decided, the source added, “Bilateral series, I don’t see in the near future, that’ next to impossible.” It is to be noted that these comments on India versus Pakistan bilateral series come after Team India kipper Rohit Sharma had shown interest in playing against their immediate neighbours.
Moreover, the Pakistan cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday reportedly spoke of bilateral series with India. He asserted that they will think about it only if India sends their team to Pakistan for the marquee ICC event.