Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi clarified on Friday that the PCB has not received any official communication regarding the Indian cricket team’s decision to withdraw from the 2025 Champions Trophy scheduled to take place in Pakistan. This follows reports in Indian media suggesting that India would not travel to Pakistan for the tournament.
The 2025 Champions Trophy, scheduled from February 19 to March 9, marks the return of Pakistan as the host of the prestigious event, after their victory in the 2017 edition held in England. However, due to strained political relations between the two countries, India has not visited Pakistan since 2008, and the two teams have only faced off in multi-team tournaments.
Addressing the media at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Naqvi acknowledged that for the past two months, there have been ongoing media reports concerning the Indian team’s travel plans. He emphasized that the PCB is waiting for official communication from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding their participation.
“We have a clear stance that they must provide us with a written statement if they have any issues. As of today, no hybrid model has been discussed with us, but we are ready to talk about it,” Naqvi said. He further stressed that if the reports in Indian media were accurate, there should be an official letter from the International Cricket Council (ICC) or the Indian board, but no such communication has been received by the PCB.
Naqvi also reiterated the PCB’s commitment to keeping cricket free from political influence. “We want cricket to be devoid of politics. No sport in the world should have these kinds of politics,” he said, expressing hope that the tournament would proceed as planned.
On the possibility of adopting a hybrid model for the tournament, Naqvi stated that the matter would need to be addressed by the Pakistani government. He emphasized that while Pakistan has consistently shown good gestures, it cannot be expected to do so repeatedly.
“I hope that we are not expected to show good gestures each time,” Naqvi added.
Regarding the tournament’s schedule, Naqvi expressed optimism that the ICC would finalize and announce the matches soon. “From what I know, every country wants the Champions Trophy to take place here. I’m in contact with several boards, and many have expressed their desire to play in Pakistan,” he said, urging patience from all involved parties.
Naqvi’s comments come after reports from Indian media on Friday claimed that India’s cricket team would not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy and preferred to play their matches at a neutral venue.
In response to these developments, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chiefs assured that contingency plans were in place if India decided not to participate. ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould stated that the tournament would need India for its broadcast rights, but alternative solutions could be explored if necessary. He also expressed confidence that all parties could reach a mutual understanding, recalling the successful meeting between the teams at the 2023 T20 World Cup.
Earlier in July, the BCCI had affirmed that its senior players would participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy, with Secretary Jay Shah expressing confidence in the squad’s readiness to compete in the tournament.
As the situation continues to unfold, PCB remains hopeful for a resolution that will allow the tournament to proceed smoothly in Pakistan.
