PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi Hopes Team India Will Play Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi remains hopeful that Team India will travel to Pakistan to play in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. While BCCI has shown reluctance towards sending the Indian team across the border since 2008, there are fears that the Champions Trophy will be played in a hybrid model.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi is hopeful that the Indian team will travel to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. The mega event is slated to be played in February with three cities, Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi set to host matches of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The final is likely to be played on March 9, a rough draw has been in the pipeline, and the PCB has also received green light on the budget prepared by them from ICC, the only sticking point that remains in India's participation.

Since 2008, the Indian team has not traveled to Pakistan given the tensions between the two neighbors, however, Mohsin Naqvi claimed that there are no reasons why India will not travel across the border.

"Indian team mujhe puri umeed hai… Abhi tak koi aisi cheej nahi hai jiski wajeh se vo postpone karey ya cancel karey. Toh sari teams aayengi (Team India will come to play the Champions Trophy, all the teams will come)," Naqvi said.

Since 2008, India haven't traveled to Pakistan in the 16 years since, whereas Pakistan have visited India three times in that period. Also, no major ICC tournaments have been hosted entirely in Pakistan since the 1996 ODI World Cup.

Last year's Asia Cup was scheduled to be played in Pakistan but after BCCI showed reluctance over sending the Indian team across the border, the tournament had to be played in a hybrid model with the Men in Blue playing their matches in Sri Lanka.