The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice-President Rajeev Shukla denied the reports suggesting that the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Earlier this week, Indian media reported, citing a source from the BCCI, that the Indian team will not be visiting Pakistan for the upcoming ICC event.
Reports further claimed that the board is planning to formally propose Dubai and Sri Lanka as potential venues for hosting India’s matches.
Meanwhile, BCCI VP Rajeev Shukla, during a telephonic conversation with an Indian media outlet, asserted that the cricketing body has not issued any information regarding their team’s participation in Champions Trophy 2025.
“We do not know which source gave such information. BCCI has not put out any official information regarding this,” Shukla told ThePrint over the phone.
Last year, India refused to travel to Pakistan to participate in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023. As a result, the continental event was held in a hybrid model with Sri Lanka stepping in as a co-host.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) submitted the schedule for the Champions Trophy to the ICC last week, which was reportedly approved by all the participating countries except India.
The BCCI has emphasized that India’s visit to Pakistan is contingent upon receiving permission from the government.
“In the case of the Champions Trophy, we will do whatever the Government of India tells us to do,” BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla said in May.
“We send our team only when the Government of India gives us permission. So we will go according to the decision of the Indian government.”
It is worth noting that India has not travelled to Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008 due to the long-standing political tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
In contrast, Pakistan has made four trips to India in the last 16 years. Their most recent visit was last year for the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023.
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