In recent years, major teams like Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa have played in Pakistan without issue, fielding full-strength squads. However, India has refrained from visiting Pakistan for the past 16 years, citing security concerns.
Not only does India refuse to go, but they are also allegedly attempting to discourage other boards from participating in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. According to Pakistan’s Cricket Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is secretly offering enticing proposals to the remaining six boards involved in the tournament.
As the host nation for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Pakistan has been facing delays and challenges in finalizing the event. The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently announced that players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah would not be sent to Pakistan for the tournament. Instead, the BCCI has proposed hosting the Champions Trophy in a hybrid model, similar to the 2023 Asia Cup, or possibly moving the event outside Pakistan altogether.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not willing to compromise on the matter. They are determined to host the Champions Trophy in their own country. With all teams except India agreeing to play in Pakistan, the possibility exists that Sri Lanka might replace India and the tournament could proceed in Pakistan.
The deadline for announcing the schedule is approaching, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) needing to finalize it by tomorrow. If the schedule isn’t confirmed in time, it would be a breach of contract with broadcasters, placing pressure on both the ICC and the BCCI.
In response, India is now following a different approach. Cricket Pakistan reports that while the BCCI openly states its concerns about security in Pakistan, behind the scenes, it is working on either shifting the Champions Trophy to a hybrid model or hosting it in India. The BCCI is reportedly trying to gain the support of other cricket boards to back this move.
The BCCI, being the highest revenue earner from ICC’s financials, is reportedly offering significant incentives to boards from Bangladesh, Australia, England, Afghanistan, New Zealand, and South Africa. If these boards agree to support the BCCI’s proposal, they could receive a larger share of ICC revenue than usual.
In addition to financial incentives, the BCCI is allegedly promising future bilateral series with more matches against India for the boards that support their position, further strengthening their case.
Cricket analysts have raised questions about the BCCI’s inconsistent stance on the Champions Trophy. They pointed out that India had previously supported Pakistan’s bid to host the tournament in 2021 when Ramiz Raja was the PCB chairman, and India had raised no objections until now. This sudden opposition has led analysts to suspect there may be other underlying motives.
Meanwhile, the ICC is continuing discussions with the participating boards in search of a solution. The governing body has emphasized that they will not be swayed solely by the BCCI’s stance, and will make the final decision in consultation with all the boards involved.
