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India Receive Champions Trophy 2025 Invitation By Pakistan; Fan Wins Hearts In One-Day Cup

Pakistan fan holding an invitational placard for Team India (x.com)Pakistan fan holding an invitational placard for Team India (x.com)

Pakistan cricket fans seem to be anxiously waiting for the launch of the 2025 Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held earlier next year at three different Pakistani venues. Team India’s participation, however, continues to remain uncertain owing to the prevailing geopolitical tensions between the two neighboring countries.

It is worth noting that no Indian cricket team has travelled to Pakistan since 2006, and even the scheduled 2023 Asia Cup witnessed Pakistan following a hybrid hosting model with Sri Lanka for all Team India fixtures. While the Indian players are currently engaged in a two-match home Test series against Bangladesh, they recently received a special Champions Trophy 2025 invitation from a certain Pakistan fan at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium.

Champions Cup becomes invitational hub for PAK fans

During a Champions One-Day Cup 2024 game between Saud Shakeel’s Dolphins and Shaheen Afridi’s Lions, a Pakistan fan who attended the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad pulled out a special placard in front of camera for the Indian cricket team.

The poster in contention featured an interesting invitational caption that reads:

“Champions Trophy 2025 (Team India) Pakistani fans are waiting for you.”


While the PCB recently received a huge Champions Trophy hosting boost from ICC after the latter approved the arrangements of the three designated tournament venues, Team India’s participation plans (or lack of) in the competition continues to bewilder the Pakistan board. 

The star-studded Indian cricket team remains ICC’s biggest draw in multi-nation events, and their absence might significantly impact Champions Trophy, in terms of tournament revenues and viewership.

India’s cricketing rivalry with Pakistan also constitutes among the greatest sporting rivalries in the world. The two nations have not played a single bilateral series against each other since 2012, and have been only engaged in sporadic meetings in multi-nation events like ICC tournaments and Asia Cup.

Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the ‘Men in Blue’ recently crossed paths with Babar Azam’s Pakistan back in June this year in USA during the group game of the 2024 T20 World Cup.