The chances of the Indian cricket team going to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next year are slim. This is the outcome if Rohit Sharma’s team opts to pull out of the competition.
The ICC Champions Trophy scheduled to take place in Pakistan next year has reached a point where the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has allegedly declined to participate in the competition in the host country. Pakistan had chosen Lahore as the sole location for the Indian team in their planned draft, aiming to address security concerns and gain approval from the Indian board for the tournament. However, the BCCI has reportedly not followed suit, stating that they will use Dubai and Sri Lanka as venues for their matches in a hybrid model.
Even though there hasn’t been a formal discussion on the BCCI’s proposal, the PCB may not have many choices but to accept the Indian board’s requests. However, if they insist on holding all the matches in Pakistan, the Indian team may choose to withdraw from the tournament due to security worries, as obtaining government approval is highly improbable.
If the Indian team withdraws from the Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka will advance in their spot, as they placed 9th in the 2023 ODI World Cup rankings.
In 2023, the Asia Cup was scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan, however, the Indian team was unable to travel as their government did not give approval, resulting in their matches being moved to Sri Lanka.
The Indian cricket team last played in Pakistan during the Asia Cup in 2008 and they only face each other at ICC or ACC events.
India beat Pakistan by six runs in the T20 World Cup 2024 group stage meeting last month before going on to win their second title.
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will be Pakistan’s first standalone hosting of a major international cricket competition. Before this, Pakistan team up with India and Sri Lanka to hold the 1996 Cricket World Cup and previously shared hosting duties with India for the Reliance Cup in 1987.
