PCB Hellbent On Hosting Final Of Champions Trophy 2025 Even If India Qualifies - Report

India unlikely to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025 [Source: @ICC/x]

Team India’s participation for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan continues to remain under scrutiny over security concerns. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might even request the ICC to hold the tournament in a hybrid model in order to relocate India’s share of Champions Trophy matches either to Sri Lanka or UAE, much like the 2023 Asia Cup last year.

In a latest development, several media reports claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now proposed a plan that includes Team India travelling back to either Delhi or Chandigarh from Pakistan after the completion of every game in case of security concerns. However, the BCCI has denied receiving any such proposal from the PCB, as reported by Dainik Jagran.

PCB hellbent on hosting final even if India qualifies

The BCCI has denied receiving any proposal from the PCB which would involve the Indian cricket players travelling back to India after the completion of their 2025 Champions Trophy match in Pakistan.

In another update, the PCB is ‘prepared’ to face India’s refusal of travelling to Pakistan for the tournament. However, if Team India indeed travels and even qualifies for the Champions Trophy final, the PCB is hellbent on hosting the title clash in Pakistan itself.

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For the past several months, several emerging reports have indicated that the BCCI has been pressing the ICC to follow a hybrid model for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The BCCI, in compliance with the Indian government, have repeatedly expressed their security concerns in sending the Indian cricket team to Pakistan, especially due to the prevailing geo-political tensions shared by the two countries.

Team India last toured Pakistan back in 2008 for the Asia Cup. Moreover, India and Pakistan last faced each other for any bilateral series back in 2012 for ODIs and T20Is, i.e., over 12 years ago in India. Since then, the two arch-rivals have been facing each other only in multi-nation tournaments like World Cup, T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy and Asia Cup.

The 2025 Champions Trophy is currently on course to launch in mid-February, with each of the tournament’s 15 matches slated to be held in Pakistan.

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