ICC Champions Trophy 2025: The Indian cricket team will not go to Pakistan for next year's ICC Champions Trophy. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Has cited security concerns behind its decision. The Indian Cricket Board has expressed its desire to play all its matches in Dubai instead. A source close to the development told The Indian Express, “This has been our stand and there is no reason to change it. We have written a letter to them asking them to hold their matches in Dubai.” The top eight teams from around the world will participate in this competition to be held between 19 February and 5 March. The report also states that this time Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will be the host cities.
The report also claims that BCCI has decided not to send the cricket team to Pakistan after consulting the government. Earlier, in the Asia Cup 2023 also, the Indian team had refused to go to Pakistan, after which it was played in hybrid model. The Asia Cup matches were played in both Pakistan and Sri Lanka. India then played all its matches in Sri Lanka.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had already prepared the schedule for this tournament and India was to play its games in Lahore. However, there was no discussion on the draft. Because of this, ICC will have to make some amendments in its schedule due to BCCI's decision. The full ICC Champions Trophy schedule was to be released on Monday, but it remains to be seen how much time the global cricket body will need to make the necessary amendments.
Following the meeting between India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Islamabad last month, there were hopes that cricket ties between the two arch-rivals would be revived. But this could not happen.
Expected to be in Dubai
The report of 'Indian Express' states that the PCB has mooted the idea of taking India back to their country after every match. However, no final decision has been taken yet by the ICC as the tug of war continues between the cricket boards of the two countries.
Dubai is a convenient option as the ICC has held several high profile tournaments there. Recently, Dubai also hosted the Women's T20 World Cup, which was shifted from Bangladesh to the Gulf country due to political unrest in the country.
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“There is no problem in Dubai. Hotels are no problem. Logistics are no problem. Everything can be handled easily. And when it comes to Dubai the ICC has everything under control,” the source said. ” The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 19 and the title match will take place on March 9.
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