The Indian cricket team is unlikely to visit Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, scheduled for February and March next year.
According to media reports, a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed that the board plans to request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to hold the matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka.
“India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. We will tell ICC to hold its matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka,” the BCCI source said.Last year, Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup, but India, the eventual winners, played all their matches in Sri Lanka under a “hybrid model.”
On May 6, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla stated that the Indian team would only travel to Pakistan for the tournament if authorised by the central government.”In the case of the Champions Trophy, we will do whatever the Government of India tells us to do. 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,” Shukla said.
India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, and the arch-rivals now only face each other in multi-team events.The upcoming Champions Trophy marks the first major cricket event in Pakistan since it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
The tournament’s proposed schedule places Pakistan in Group A alongside India, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, while Group B comprises England, South Africa, Australia, and Afghanistan.
The tournament is scheduled to run from February 19 to March 9, with a reserve day on March 10. Matches will be held in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, with Lahore hosting seven matches including the final. Karachi’s National Stadium will host the opening match and one semi-final among a total of three matches, and Rawalpindi will host five matches, including the other semi-final.
Meanwhile, Pacer Shaheen Afridi is reportedly facing allegations of misconduct involving head coach Gary Kirsten and other support staff during both the Ireland-England tour and the T20 World Cup 2024.
According to a recent report, Afridi’s behaviour towards Kirsten and Azhar Mahmood raised concerns, yet team management allegedly refrained from taking any disciplinary action against him.
The incident has prompted an inquiry into why disciplinary measures were not enforced despite the reported misbehaviour, highlighting the responsibility of team managers to maintain discipline.
The PCB chairman has reportedly received complaints from coaches regarding disciplinary infractions and the overall conduct of players.Additionally, the Pakistan cricket team is under scrutiny as coaches raised concerns about player lobbying and lack of seriousness during recent competitions.
Sources indicated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is investigating players allegedly involved in lobbying and examining the advantages gained from such practices.
A day earlier, test players including former fast bowlers Wahab Riaz and ex-allrounder Abdul Razzaq were dismissed from the national team’s selection committee by the PCB.Sources reveal the duo was accused of favouring underperforming players in the men’s team selection.
Other selectors opposed the inclusion of these players, but Wahab and Razzaq reportedly insisted on their selection. Additionally, Wahab Riaz has been criticised for failing to fulfil his responsibilities as a senior manager during tours.
According to coaches’ reports, he did not address the unprofessional behaviour of Shaheen Shah Afridi and other players who violated discipline due to the presence of their families.
Wahab Riaz and team manager Mansoor Rana have also been blamed for not enforcing curfew timings.Reports suggest the board chairman has instructed action against those creating factions within the team.
