India will not travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy: PCB

Karachi: India will not travel to the Pakistan for the eight-team Champions Trophy starting in February, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Sunday.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board has received an email from the ICC (International Cricket Council), stating that the Indian Board has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025,” PCB spokesman Sami Ul Hasan told AFP.

India have not travelled to Pakistan since 2008, when they last played Asia Cup. The arch-rivals played their last bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, a white-ball series and now mostly play in ICC tournaments/Asia Cups.

India have held the stance of not travelling to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy, citing security concerns. Earlier this year, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla stated that India will travel to Pakistan only if the government permits.

Last year, Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup, but the tournament was hosted in a hybrid model. India played its matches in Sri Lanka while the rest of the matches were hosted in Pakistan. Later that year, India hosted the ODI World Cup and the Pakistan team travelled to participate in the tournament. Throughout the tournament, players received a warm welcome from the fans.

Notably, Pakistan also travelled to India for the T20 World Cup in 2016 which was won by the West Indies, a tournament where Carlos Braithwaite smashed successive four sixes in the final against England.

Recently, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi shrugged away the chances of holding the Champions Trophy in a hybrid model.

"I discussed this with them and my team, and our stance is clear: they need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one. The Indian media are reporting it, but no formal communication has reached the PCB," Naqvi said on Friday while addressing reporters in Lahore.