The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed a potential arrangement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to facilitate India’s participation in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan. The PCB has verbally suggested that the Indian team could return to New Delhi or Chandigarh between matches if they are unwilling to stay in Pakistan.
According to a PCB source, the proposal, which has not been formalized in writing, would allow India to set up a temporary camp in either New Delhi or Chandigarh (Mohali) and use chartered flights to travel to Lahore for their matches. The source confirmed that this arrangement has been discussed as a possible solution to ensure India’s participation in Pakistan.
The Champions Trophy, set to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025, will feature matches in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi. With Lahore’s proximity to the Indian border, the PCB has planned for India’s matches to be held there. India is scheduled to play three group-stage matches: on February 20 against Bangladesh, February 23 against Pakistan and March 2 against New Zealand.
Despite India’s potential reluctance to stay in Pakistan, the PCB remains firm that the tournament’s final must take place in Lahore, regardless of India’s participation. The Indian team has a significant gap between its group-stage matches, making the travel arrangement to Lahore more feasible.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is also considering a hybrid model for the tournament, where some matches could be played outside of Pakistan due to India’s hesitance to tour the country. Dubai and Sri Lanka are among the alternative venues being explored. India has not visited Pakistan for a cricket series since 2008, making their involvement in the tournament a subject of ongoing negotiations.
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