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In a major setback for cricket, India has decided to stand firm on its decision not to send its team to Pakistan for next year’s Champions Trophy, Indian media reported on Friday.
Sources familiar with the matter told the Indian Express that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of its security concerns and requested that its matches be held in Dubai instead of Lahore.
“The BCCI has conveyed their concerns regarding Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. They want to play matches at a neutral venue and Dubai is the strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue,” a source told Times of India.
Another source, meanwhile, informed the Indian Express that this has been the BCCI’s long-standing stance and that there was no reason to change that.
“We have written to them and asked them to shift our games to Dubai,” the source added.
Reacting to the development, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi told India not to expect good gestures from Islamabad after New Delhi reportedly rejected the idea of travelling to Lahore for the Champions Trophy.
“In recent years, Pakistan has shown a lot of good gestures. However, we hope that we are not expected to show good gestures always,” Naqvi, who is also the interior minister, told reporters in Lahore.
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For the past two months, Naqvi said, there have been reports by the Indian media related to the team’s not travelling to Pakistan.
“We still want cricket to be separate from politics.”
He noted that the cricketing governing body did not receive any “letter” from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). “We have clearly stated that they [the Indian cricket board] must give it to us in writing if they have any issues,” he added.
Furthermore, he said he will consult with the federal government if the BCCI formally refused to send its team to Pakistan.
“I will consult with the government if BCCI confirms that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan in written. Then, we will abide by whatever decision the Pakistan government makes,” Naqvi announced.
Naqvi also said that they will continue the preparations for the Champions Trophy, expressing hope that “it will be a successful event”.
He shared that the upgradation of the stadiums and preparations for the tournament will proceed as per the schedule.
Pakistan is determined to hold the entire 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9 in three cities — Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
To address logistical and security concerns, it suggested staging all of India’s matches in Lahore, which is near the Wagah border, to simplify arrangements.
Pakistan is determined to hold the entire 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9 in three cities — Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.
To address logistical and security concerns, it suggested staging all of India’s matches in Lahore, which is near the Wagah border, to simplify arrangements.
India has not played an international match in Pakistan since 2008. Last year, the BCCI declined to send a team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, leading to a hybrid format with later stages held in Sri Lanka.
However, Pakistan did visit India soon after for the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they fell short of reaching the semi-finals.
The upsetting development comes as during his visit to Islamabad on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in October, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar had reportedly discussed the possibility of the Indian cricket team coming to Pakistan for the ICC event, the media reports added.
Following the meeting, hopes were raised about cricket normalcy as this was the first direct conversation of this level since 2015 between nations with an acrimonious past.
Following this cordial meeting, a thaw in relations seemed possible, sparking speculation about the resumption of cricket ties.
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