INDIA will not be travelling to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy set to begin in February, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday.
Political tensions between India and Pakistan have prevented the two countries from playing a bilateral series for over a decade. The last time India toured Pakistan was in 2008 for the Asia Cup.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board has received an email from the ICC (International Cricket Council), stating that the Indian board has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025," said PCB spokesman Sami Ul Hasan to AFP.
Hasan added, "The PCB has forwarded that email to the government of Pakistan for their advice and guidance."
Pakistan is scheduled to host the eight-nation event across Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi from 19 February to 9 March. However, the schedule has been uncertain, pending India’s confirmation of participation.
PCB chairman Moshin Naqvi had previously ruled out a hybrid model, in which India would have played its matches in the United Arab Emirates.
"Pakistan has shown great gestures to India in the past, and we'd like to say clearly India shouldn't expect such friendly gestures from us every time," Naqvi stated in Lahore on Saturday. "The government will decide if Pakistan travel for any future event in India if they don't come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. The PCB will not decide that."
The ICC was expected to announce the Champions Trophy schedule this week, but this latest development may lead to a delay.
The Champions Trophy is considered the premier ODI competition after the World Cup. The upcoming event will feature Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa. Monday marks the 100-day countdown to the tournament.
India and Pakistan, nuclear-armed neighbours, have fought three wars since their separation in 1947, and this historical rivalry is often evident in their cricket matches. Any game between the two nations ranks among the most-viewed sporting events globally.
Pakistan’s visit to India for the recent ODI World Cup raised the PCB’s expectation that India would reciprocate for the Champions Trophy. Last year’s Asia Cup was also played using a hybrid model, with India’s matches held in Sri Lanka.
India and Pakistan have faced each other only in ICC multi-nation events since their last bilateral series in the 2012–13 season.
(With inputs from AFP)
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