The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formally declined to send its cricket team to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, citing security concerns. The Indian board has proposed that all their matches be relocated to Dubai instead.
A source from the BCCI told a section of media: “This has been our stance, and there is no reason to change that. We have written to them and asked them to shift our games to Dubai.”
The Champions Trophy is scheduled for February 19 to March 9, with matches set to be played in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. The tournament will feature the world’s top eight teams competing in a 50-over format.
The BCCI’s stance is reported to be in line with consultations with the Indian government and is consistent with its decision prior to the 2023 Asia Cup. Despite pressure from Pakistan at that time, India succeeded in relocating its matches to Sri Lanka, citing similar security concerns.
This decision follows a recent diplomatic meeting that initially raised hopes of improved relations and potentially a revival of cricket ties between the two nations. Last month, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Islamabad, marking the highest-level conversation between the nations since 2015.
While the PCB made efforts to encourage India to travel to Pakistan, offering the Indian team the option to return home after each match, recent developments appear to have influenced BCCI’s decision.
On October 16, following Jaishankar’s visit, a series of terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir left 16 dead, including two Indian soldiers.
The last time India toured Pakistan was in 2006, when Rahul Dravid’s team clinched a 4-1 victory in the ODI series. Since then, while Pakistan has hosted teams such as England and Bangladesh, the political and security situation has prevented the Indian team from returning to the country.
