The debate over whether India will send its team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next February has been ongoing for quite some time, with discussions intensifying recently. Initially, an Indian news agency reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had agreed to the hybrid model proposed by the BCCI. In response, Pakistan’s Sama TV dismissed this as baseless and even stated that the Champions Trophy would indeed take place in Pakistan.
Following Sama TV’s report, an Indian media outlet cited an anonymous source within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), revealing that the BCCI had informed the PCB that they were firm on their decision not to send a team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. In reaction to this news, PCB Chairman Najam Sethi spoke to journalists in Lahore, delivering a stern message to the BCCI, saying that while the PCB had shown courtesy in recent years, it wouldn’t continue doing so indefinitely. After Sethi’s comments, it was revealed that the BCCI had officially informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) about their decision not to send the team to Pakistan.
According to ESPNCricinfo, the BCCI informed the ICC that the Indian government had decided against sending the team to Pakistan. The Champions Trophy, featuring eight teams, is scheduled to take place in Pakistan across three venues from February 19 to March 9 next year.
In light of India’s decision, the PCB will now need to make new arrangements for hosting the Champions Trophy. The hybrid model will likely be part of these plans, with reports indicating that the BCCI has already expressed a preference for Dubai as the venue for their matches under this model. This hybrid model was also used during the 2023 Asia Cup, where India’s matches were held in Sri Lanka.
