Will India travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy?
Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Khalid Mahmood believes India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy would be a non-profitable deal for PCB and the ICC.
While the PCB is looking to conduct the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 entirely in Pakistan, India’s denial to travel to the neighbouring country seems to be a major concern. The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 19 in Karachi, and the final of the eight-team tournament will be played on March 9 in Lahore. However, the chances are high that India won’t travel to Pakistan due to diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Khalid Mahmood believes India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy would be a non-profitable deal for PCB and the ICC.
“They are very very slim chances they will agree to play in Pakistan,” Mahmood was quoted as saying by PTI.
“India is the richest cricket board and carries a lot of clout. If they don’t send their team to Pakistan I foresee even countries like Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh following their path. This would basically reduce the Champions Trophy into a venture where revenues will take a hit, expenses will grow and profits would fall,” he added
Mahmood, a former Pakistan team manager, also said that PCB should just follow their policy of not mixing sports and politics.
“Look the thing is at this level you can only lobby and try to convince other boards to be on your side. India has too much clout in the ICC it would do no good for Pakistan to adopt a tit for tat strategy. Thing is when the BCCI says it can’t send its team and will play its matches outside Pakistan, it does reduce the purpose for Pakistan of hosting an ICC event,” he asserted.
Media reports have been claiming that Pakistan will not deviate from the position of holding all the Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan but will maintain the position of ‘Pakistan’s event in Pakistan.’
India last travelled to Pakistan in July 2008 to take part in the Asia Cup. In the last 16 years, Pakistan has travelled to India once for the bilateral series (in 2012–2013) and twice for the T20 World Cup 2016 and the ODI World Cup 2023.
