Champions Trophy 2025: Why India’s cricketers are refusing to play in Pakistan and what may occur subsequent | Cricket Information

The 2025 Champions Trophy is because of happen in February, stay on Sky Sports activities, though the event has been disrupted by stories that India will refuse to journey to play in Pakistan.

Pakistan are set to stage a world cricket occasion for the primary time since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka, with the eight-team event at present scheduled for February 19-March 9.

The 50-over competitors returns to the worldwide calendar for the primary time since Pakistan received the occasion in 2017, however plans have been threatened by India’s unwillingness to play within the neighbouring nation.

How have comparable points been handled by the ICC and what may occur with the Champions Trophy? This is every thing we all know up to now…

What was the unique plan?

Pakistan and India shall be joined by Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan within the event, with two teams of 4 groups and the highest two from each then progressing to the semi-finals.

The Pakistan Cricket (PCB) earmarked Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore because the three host cities, with an preliminary schedule draft initially leaving India taking part in all three group video games on the identical venue.

An official fixture record was as a result of be introduced on November 11, marking 100 days till the Champions Trophy, though the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) have but to announce their full schedule.

Why would India not journey to Pakistan?

Political tensions between the nations have led to the India crew avoiding journey to Pakistan since 2008, whereas two haven’t performed one another exterior of males’s main tournaments since 2013.

The 2009 terror assaults on the Sri Lanka crew meant no nation travelled to play there for subsequent six years, with India the one crew to not tour and play there since worldwide cricket returned to Pakistan in 2015.

The Board of Management for Cricket in India [BCCI] knowledgeable the ICC that India is not going to journey to Pakistan, citing not being given permission by the Indian authorities to journey, with the PCB now asking their very own authorities for additional recommendation.

“We have received an e-mail from the ICC in which they have said that India will not be coming to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy,” the PCB spokesperson stated.

Pakistan travelled to India to play within the 2016 T20 World Cup and 2023 50-over World Cup, though a “hybrid model” noticed all India matches happen in Sri Lanka when Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup final 12 months.

Might the ‘hybrid mannequin’ work once more?

India’s refusal to play in Pakistan raises the prospect of the event being held throughout a number of nations, with the United Arab Emirates – the place the ICC headquarters are – a possible choice in any hybrid situation.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated on November 8 that he was not ready to simply accept a shared internet hosting mannequin and added that “no discussion” of any such proposal has taken place.

”Till now, no dialogue of any hybrid mannequin has occurred, nor are we ready to simply accept one,” he stated. ”The Indian media are reporting it, however no formal communication has reached the PCB.

”If we get a letter from India, I will must go to my authorities and abide by their selections. Pakistan has proven nice gestures to India previously, and we would wish to say clearly India should not anticipate such pleasant gestures from us each time.”

Have groups beforehand determined towards taking part in?

Australia and West Indies each refused to play matches in Sri Lanka in the course of the 1996 World Cup as a result of bombings within the nation earlier that 12 months, leading to each matches being awarded to the hosts through walkover.

England forfeited their group match towards co-hosts Zimbabwe in the course of the 2003 World Cup and Robert Mugabe’s regime, having requested for the fixture to be moved, with New Zealand pulling out of a match towards fellow co-hosts Kenya in the identical event as a result of security considerations.

All these examples have been particular person matches performed in tournaments throughout a number of nations, leaving the groups with an opportunity to nonetheless attain the knockout levels, whereas the Champions Trophy at present requires India to play all their matches in a single nation.

What may occur subsequent?

It is extremely unlikely that the ICC would proceed with a event with out India, given the numerous income losses it will trigger, whereas transferring fixtures into one other nation may put Pakistan’s participation below risk.

Throughout England’s Check sequence in Pakistan, England Cricket Board [ECB] chairman Richard Gould stated concerning the scheduling battle: “If you play the Champions Trophy without India, or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them.”

Pakistan host West Indies in a two-Check sequence in January earlier than a mini tri-nation ODI event with New Zealand and South Africa, scheduled to happen from February 8 forward of the Champions Trophy later that month.

Talks are ongoing between the ICC and the nations concerned to try to search a Champions Trophy decision, with the PCB on the lookout for solutions from the BCCI on their choice and time working out to get plans finalised.

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