England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chiefs expressed optimism about finding a resolution if India decides against traveling to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The tournament is set to take place from February 19 to March 9, and the ECB emphasizes that India’s involvement is crucial for safeguarding the event’s broadcast rights.
Pakistan, the defending champions after winning the last edition in England in 2017, is gearing up to host the prestigious tournament. However, strained political relations between India and Pakistan have hindered bilateral tours since 2008, with both teams only meeting in multi-team events.
Last year, Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup, but India played all its matches in Sri Lanka due to security concerns and the absence of government approval for travel to Pakistan. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president Rajeev Shukla reiterated that the final decision regarding India’s participation in the Champions Trophy rests with the Indian government.
While in Pakistan for a three-test series, ECB chief Richard Gould acknowledged the expectations from Pakistan for India to travel, stating, “There are lots of different alternatives and contingencies available if that doesn’t happen. I wouldn’t have thought it would be played without India because if you play the Champions Trophy without India, the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them.”
Gould’s remarks came during ongoing discussions with Pakistan Cricket Board officials amid the second test in Multan. ECB chair Richard Thompson also voiced confidence that an understanding could be reached among all parties involved, highlighting the recent interactions at the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States.
“There’s geopolitics, and then there’s cricketing geopolitics. I think they’ll find a way. They have to find a way,” Thompson stated, noting the persistent security concerns when the two nations face each other. However, he also remarked that the current relationships between the countries appear as amicable as possible, as evidenced during the recent T20 World Cup in New York.
As anticipation builds for the Champions Trophy, the cricketing world watches closely to see how the situation unfolds, hoping for a resolution that ensures India’s participation and a successful tournament in Pakistan.
