India Will Not Travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy: BCCI Officially Informs ICC

The long-debated question of whether India will participate in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan has finally been settled. According to Cricket's leading news website, Cricinfo, India will not travel to Pakistan for the upcoming tournament. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) of its decision, citing that the Indian government has not granted permission for the team to visit Pakistan.

With India pulling out of the Champions Trophy, the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will now need to come up with alternative plans. There is growing speculation that the tournament may take place under a "hybrid model," similar to the one used for the Asia Cup. In that format, India’s matches were played in Sri Lanka, while the other games took place in Pakistan. It is now being suggested that a similar arrangement might be made for the Champions Trophy as well.

However, PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, dismissed the possibility of a "hybrid model" for the Champions Trophy on Friday. He confirmed that no such discussions have taken place. Nevertheless, Cricinfo reports that the ICC and PCB have already made contingency plans for a neutral venue, given India’s confirmed absence.

According to Cricinfo, the BCCI informed the ICC of its stance earlier this week, although it is unclear whether this was done orally or in writing. It is expected that the ICC will request a formal written communication from the BCCI before notifying the PCB.

The current uncertainty has led to the possibility that the schedule announcement for the Champions Trophy, which was supposed to take place in Lahore next week, might be delayed.

The Champions Trophy, scheduled for February 2025, will feature eight teams and be held in Pakistan. According to the current groupings, Group A will include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, while Group B will feature England, South Africa, Australia, and Afghanistan. With India’s decision, changes to the tournament’s format and venue may be on the horizon, as the ICC and PCB work on accommodating the situation.