Will Rohit Sharma’s India Travel To Pakistan For 2025 Champions Trophy? Rajeev Shukla Gives Major Update

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will wait for the green signal from the Union Government before taking any call as far as sending the Indian team to Pakistan is concerned for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said on Tuesday. Pakistan will be hosting an ICC tournament for the first time in since the 1996 ODI World Cup. The eight-team competition is scheduled to be played from February to March.

Because of the tense political relationships between the two countries, both India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral series since 2012. While Pakistan last toured India in 2012, Men in Blue’s last visit to their neighbouring nation was back in 2008. Since then, both countries only face each other in ICC and ACC tournaments.

“In the case of the Champion Trophy, we will do whatever the Government of India will tell us to do. We send our team only when the Government of India gives us permission. So we will go according to the decision of the Indian government,” Shukla told ANI on Tuesday.

Earlier in 2023, India didn’t travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup before the PCB was forced to use a hybrid model to stage the tournament. As a result, Sri Lanka came on board as co-hosts of the competition. India, who emerged as eventual champions, played all their games in Sri Lanka including the final. However, Pakistan did travel to India last year for the ODI World Cup.

Meanwhile, according to recent reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has zeroed on three locations – Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi – to host the full tournament. The PCB’s draft schedule also states Lahore as the single venue for India’s atleast the league games.