Champions Trophy 2025: PCB chief Ramiz Raja hopes for tri-series with India, claims “there will be no pull outs” from CT 2025 – Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja reassures that the defending champions are fully capable of hosting the tournament in what he believes is a major breakthrough for cricket in the country. The ICC on Tuesday had announced hosts for the eight major events from 2024 to 2031 with Pakistan getting the rights to host ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. The decision was met with a few raised eyebrows, with many teams yet to be convinced of touring the country, including India, who last played a bilateral series against the Men in Green in 2012.
Champions Trophy 2025: PCB chief Ramiz Raja hopes for tri-series with India, claims “there will be no pull outs” from CT 2025
PCB chief Ramiz Raja has assured that Pakistan remains fully capable of hosting the Champions Trophy 2025. Raja said that it wasn’t an easy job to change the “negative perception” surrounding the country and convince that Pakistan was amongst the deserving candidates.
He said, “We are organising this event on our own, not sharing it with anyone else. We have to do a lot of work to prepare ourselves for this event now. This is a milestone for us and I hope there are more to come. We will be hosting the Asia Cup before that too.”
Champions Trophy 2025: PCB chief Ramiz Raja hopes for tri-series with India, claims “there will be no pull outs” from CT 2025
However, India’s participation in both the Asia Cup 2023 and Champions Trophy 2025 remains a doubt, due to their political ties with Pakistan. However, Ramiz Raja remains confident that there will be no pullouts from the tournament nor will the competition be shifted to the UAE.
He said, “They [ICC] went through all the pros and cons and after going through the details, came to the conclusion that Pakistan is fit enough to host and administer the Champions Trophy. You shouldn’t worry at all. I don’t think there will be any negativity or any pullouts at all. We won’t be going to the UAE for the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy. Not everything happens because of India. We are also here. Don’t worry.”
Champions Trophy 2025: PCB chief Ramiz Raja hopes for tri-series with India, claims “there will be no pull outs” from CT 2025
India and Pakistan last played a bilateral series against Pakistan back in 2012, which was also held after a five-year hiatus in ties. Talking about ties with India, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman said that he has a very good working relationship with BCCI president Sourav Ganguly but added that political hurdles remain in bilateral cricket between the two countries. However, Raja remains hopeful that the two teams can face-off, even if it is a tri-series competition of sorts.
He said. “A bilateral series with India may not be something easy to organise at this stage but we may work on some triangular events sometimes. But let me tell you that one can’t withdraw that easily from a major tournament. When a country is named as host then it means that teams have to tour the country. I have a good working relationship with Saurav Ganguly and have discussed how to take cricket forward. As far as India-Pakistan cricket is concerned, it faces political hurdles.”
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