PCB confirm BCCI's Refusal to Travel for Champions Trophy in 2025: Report

The confirmation sets the stage for a significant shift in plans, with the PCB and the ICC now bracing for the inevitable - a hybrid model for the tournament

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially acknowledged that they have received a crucial letter from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), confirming India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the highly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. The correspondence, sent by the BCCI to the International Cricket Council (ICC), was subsequently forwarded to the PCB on Sunday, November 10.  PCB spokesperson confirms BCCI's response

 

A PCB spokesperson revealed the gravity of the situation, stating, "We have received an email from the ICC, informing us that the BCCI has declared its decision not to send their team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. The email has now been forwarded to the Government of Pakistan for further counsel and direction."

 

This confirmation sets the stage for a significant shift in plans, with the PCB and the ICC now bracing for the inevitable – a hybrid model for the tournament, a scenario long anticipated and now seemingly unavoidable. With financial provisions already allocated, the contingency plan includes the possibility of relocating some matches, most likely to the UAE, as first reported by Cricbuzz in August. 

 

The initial fixture lineup, which saw India scheduled to face Bangladesh on February 20, New Zealand on February 23, and Pakistan on March 1, all in Lahore, is now in jeopardy. The PCB had earmarked Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore as the primary venues for the tournament, but with India’s withdrawal, alterations to both the venues and potentially the dates are all but certain. The Champions Trophy 2025 is poised for a dramatic reshaping.