Where and when will the 2025 Champions Trophy be held? This is the biggest question in world cricket right now. Pakistan is set to host the tournament, but with India’s influence as a major revenue generator in cricket, the situation is complex. The BCCI has informed the ICC that India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. Due to ongoing political tensions, India and Pakistan do not play bilateral series and only face off in ICC and Asian Cricket Council events.
India last toured Pakistan in 2006, and with India declining to tour Pakistan again, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken a firm stance, ruling out the possibility of a ‘hybrid model’ for hosting the 2025 Champions Trophy. The PCB has also requested that the ICC provide a written explanation from the BCCI regarding its refusal to play in Pakistan.
According to a report from Sports Tak, the BCCI’s response to the ICC will heavily emphasize concerns over the safety of the Indian team, citing fears of potential terrorist attacks. The BCCI is also including a dossier highlighting recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan and referencing the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team as an example of the risks involved. The dossier underscores concerns about cross-border terrorism and the possibility of Indian players being high-profile targets, despite the general support Indian players receive from Pakistani fans.
With neither the PCB nor the BCCI willing to alter their current positions, the ICC is left with three options:
1. Persuade the PCB to accept the BCCI’s hybrid model proposal, with five of the 15 tournament matches being played in the UAE.
2. Relocate the Champions Trophy entirely from Pakistan, which could prompt the PCB to withdraw Pakistan’s participation from the tournament.
3. Postpone the Champions Trophy indefinitely, a move that would significantly impact revenues for both the ICC and PCB, who stand to benefit financially from the event.
