The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly offered a fresh proposal to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) if Team India do not want to stay in Pakistan during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The Champions Trophy is slated to be hosted by Pakistan next year during February-March. However, there are clouds hovering over India’s participation in the tournament. While all the other teams have confirmed their participation, the BCCI has not yet confirmed India’s travel to Pakistan.
The BCCI has made its stand clear that India’s travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy depends on the Indian government’s approval. If India do not travel to Pakistan the tournament is likely to be held in a hybrid model since the broadcaster is not ready to compromise on India’s absence.
Also read: Shahid Afridi, Shaheen Afridi react after Pakistan win without Babar Azam in 2nd Test vs England
PCB offers a fresh proposal to BCCI
However, the PCB has offered a new proposal to the BCCI regarding India’s participation. According to Cricbuzz, the PCB has written to the BCCI in which they have promised to provide assistance if the Indian team want to return back to India – Chandigarh or Delhi after every match.
Update: PCB has written to the BCCI, offering assistance should the Indian team prefer to return to India, either to Chandigarh or New Delhi, after each match of Champions Trophy, citing security concerns, as per Cricbuzz 🇵🇰🇮🇳🤯 pic.twitter.com/LudpoBVpHC
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) October 18, 2024
It will avoid their stay in Pakistan due to security concerns. Since there is a long gap of a week between the last two group matches, the PCB finds it a feasible option to avoid India’s stay in the country.
Lahore close to India’s border
India’s matches will be held in Lahore according to the draft schedule. Since Lahore is close to India’s border, this option seems practical. Recent reports have suggested that one of India’s matches ( against New Zealand) can be given to Rawalpindi. Both the cities are in Pakistan’s Punjab province which shares the border with India.
According to the draft schedule presented by the PCB to the International Cricket Council, the Champions Trophy will be held from February 19 to March 9. The venues for the tournament are Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi. Lahore will also host the final.
India’s schedule for Champions Trophy 2025
Eight teams in the tournament have been divided into two groups of four teams each. India have been slotted with Bangladesh, New Zealand, and hosts Pakistan. The Men in Blue will begin its campaign against Bangladesh on February 20.
Indian cricket team last traveled to Pakistan way back in 2008 for the Asia Cup. But the relations between the two nations have degraded after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which had direct links with Pakistan.
Since then, India have not travelled to Pakistan citing security concerns. India were also due to travel to Pakistan in 2023 for the Asia Cup but the BCCI cited the denial from the Indian government citing security concerns. The tournament was later held in a hybrid model with Sri Lanka hosting India’s matches and the final.
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