Pakistan Threatens Boycott if India Skips Champions Trophy

The uncertainty around the Champions Trophy shows no signs of fading. With each passing day, the complexity only deepens. India has informed the ICC that it will not travel to Pakistan to participate in the Champions Trophy. This development has led Pakistan to take a strong stance, warning that it may pull out of the Champions Trophy if India doesn’t join.

On Sunday, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed to a Pakistani news outlet, saying, “The board has received an email from the ICC, indicating that the BCCI has informed them their team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy.” The spokesperson further stated that the matter has been “forwarded to the Pakistani government for advice and guidance.”

The Pakistani government is also taking India’s decision seriously. A source revealed to the media that the government has directed the PCB to ensure that Pakistan does not participate in the Champions Trophy if India withdraws.

According to the media outlet, the government may advise the PCB to avoid playing against India in any ICC or Asian Cricket Council tournaments until issues between the two nations are resolved at the governmental level.

India’s refusal to play in Pakistan stems from ongoing political tensions between the two nations. The last Asia Cup was also scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan, but it ended up being held in a hybrid format due to India’s stance. This time, India has requested a similar arrangement for the Champions Trophy. However, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear that Pakistan will not agree to a hybrid model to accommodate India’s demands in this instance.