In what came as a huge development, sources within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have hinted that Team India is unlikely to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled for next year. This could lead to a change in venue for the entire tournament, or organizers might resort to a “hybrid model” where some matches are played in alternate locations.
The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is currently scheduled to take place in Pakistan, who are the defending champions. The Men in Green beat India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. The 50-over mega tournament will take place in February and March next year.
Bilaterals, that’s next to impossible: A BCCI official
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi reportedly dangled the possibility of a bilateral series with India. He said if India participate in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, there might be a bilateral series between the two arch-rivals. However, sources within the BCCI poured cold water on the idea, stating that Team India’s travel to Pakistan itself is ‘next to impossible‘.
“Forget bilateral series…Team India may not even travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy,” the BCCI sources said, according to reports.
The sources highlighted the need for government clearance for any travel to Pakistan, citing the current strained relations between the two countries. “Champions Trophy is an ICC event, so it would be a tough call for India,” they added. “Nothing can happen without the government’s green signal. As for a bilateral series, I don’t see it happening in the near future, that’s next to impossible.”
This news comes after the 2023 Asia Cup, where India played all their matches. They included those against Pakistan, in Sri Lanka due to similar circumstances. The possibility of a “hybrid model” being employed again, with India’s matches played at a different venue, remains on the table.
This might be a blow to fans hoping for a revival of bilateral cricket between the arch-rivals. India and Pakistan haven’t played a limited-overs series on each other’s soil since 2012-13.
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