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India unlikely to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy - most likely to be in Dubai

The Indian cricket team has decided not to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and will request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to hold their matches in Sri Lanka or Dubai, according to ANI.

Scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February to March 2025, this will be the first time since the 2008 Asia Cup that India would have played a tournament in Pakistan. However, due to the strained relations between the two countries, India has not participated in any cricket events in Pakistan since then.

The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan occurred in India from December 2012 to January 2013. Since then, their encounters have been limited to ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup.

The uncertainty surrounding India's participation in the Champions Trophy has been ongoing due to the diplomatic tensions. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had proposed that India play all their matches in one city, with Lahore being suggested as the venue by ESPNcricinfo. Nevertheless, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has declined the idea of traveling to Pakistan.

A BCCI source told ANI, "India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. We will ask the ICC to hold our matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka."

BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla stated in May that the Indian team would only be sent to Pakistan with the central government's approval. Speaking to ANI, Shukla said, "For the Champions Trophy, we will follow the Indian government's directive. We will send our team only if the Government of India permits it."

A similar scenario unfolded with last year's Asia Cup, initially scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan. The PCB had to adopt a hybrid model, with India's matches, including those against Pakistan, taking place in Sri Lanka. The tournament concluded with India winning the final in Colombo. Although Pakistan hinted at using a similar hybrid approach for the ODI World Cup in India, it did not materialize.

Pakistan are the defending champions of the Champions Trophy, having won the last edition held in 2017.