Tag: Champions Trophy 2025

Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta expressed that if he were in the position of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), he would decline to host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 due to the ongoing controversies.

However, he noted that this would not be a practical option for Pakistan.

The upcoming ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February-March window in 2025, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain.

Previously, reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), that Team India will not be visiting Pakistan for the tournament citing security concerns.

However, on Sunday, sources confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the Indian government is not ready to allow their cricket team to travel to Pakistan.

In response, the PCB has been considering different options at the moment, with a possibility of them opting out of the tournament completely in case of a hybrid model, sources reported.

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Vikrant Gupta spoke to ARY News on Monday, explaining that discussions about India’s potential refusal to participate began months ago.

He mentioned that the purpose of revealing this information through the media was to mentally prepare Pakistan for the possibility that India would not visit the country for the Champions Trophy.

Gupta explained that India signed a Member Participation Agreement, which board members usually sign, while Pakistan signed both the Participation Agreement and the Hosting Agreement.

He emphasized that the PCB cannot give up hosting rights only because India is not ready to visit Pakistan.

“The Indian government cited security concerns for its top players. Whether that’s a valid concern or not, I don’t know. But if Pakistan doesn’t host the Champions Trophy 2025, what reason will it give? Pakistan cannot simply say it’s because India refused to come,” Gupta stated.

He further said that Pakistan will need to present a reason that is internationally acceptable, or else it could face penalties.

READ: Mohammad Hafeez calls out India over refusal to tour Pakistan for Champions Trophy

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), rejected the possibility of adopting a hybrid model for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 following India’s refusal to travel to the host country, ARY News reported on Tuesday citing sources.

The cricket board sent a letter to the ICC following directives from the country’s government to express its concerns. The PCB conveyed that the Pakistani government is determined to host the entire tournament.

Sources reported that the PCB has sought official clarification and concrete reasons for India’s refusal to tour Pakistan in a letter.

In its letter, the PCB clearly stated that hosting the Champions Trophy using a hybrid model is not an option, emphasizing that Pakistan will not compete against India at any alternate venue.

The upcoming ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February-March window in 2025, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain.

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Previously, reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), that Team India will not be visiting Pakistan for the tournament citing security concerns.

However, on Sunday, sources confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the Indian government is not ready to allow their cricket team to travel to Pakistan.

In response, the PCB has been considering different options at the moment, with a possibility of them opting out of the tournament completely in case of a hybrid model, sources reported.

The cricket board is also considering refusing to play against India in all future tournaments if it does not send its team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

READ: ‘Pakistan should adopt Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup stance in Champions Trophy’

Suryakumar Yadav, the T20I captain of India, recently discussed the possibility of his team’s participation in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be hosted by Pakistan.

The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February- March window in 2025, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain.

Previously, reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), that Team India will not be visiting Pakistan for the tournament citing security concerns.

Additionally, on Sunday, sources confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the Indian government is not ready to allow their cricket team to travel to Pakistan.

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Suryakumar Yadav is currently leading India in a four-match T20I series in South Africa. During a recent interaction with a fan, he was asked why Team India is not visiting Pakistan for the mega-event.

“Why aren’t you coming to Pakistan?” a fan asked.

Suryakumar with a smile responded, “It’s not in our hands.”

 

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Prior to Suryakumar Yadav, India’s ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma also gave a similar response to a question regarding the team’s participation in the Champions Trophy 2025.

Notably, the series between India and South Africa is currently levelled 1-1 after two matches.

The third and fourth matches of the series will be played in Centurion and Johannesburg on 13 and 15 November respectively.

READ: Michael Clarke slams Cricket Australia for resting key players against Pakistan

Former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over their refusal to tour Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February- March window in 2025, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain.

Previously, reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), that Team India will not be visiting Pakistan for the tournament citing security concerns.

Additionally, on Sunday, sources confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the Indian government is not ready to allow their cricket team to travel to Pakistan.

The news of India’s refusal was not well received by many former cricketers in Pakistan, including Mohammad Hafeez.

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The former Pakistan captain took his official X (formerly Twitter) account and criticised India’s decision. He took a subtle dig by stating that Pakistan is secure for every team but ‘somehow not *secure* for India.’

The 44-year-old also urged the PCB to take a strong stance against India with support from the government.

“It was a day dream that India will come to Pakistan to play [the] Champions Trophy 2025,” Mohammad Hafeez posted.

“Pakistan is safe & ready to host the event. Pakistan [has been] hosting all cricket nations at home but somehow not *secure* for India. Waiting for strong & surprised response from government & PCB,” he added.

READ: ‘Pakistan should adopt Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup stance in Champions Trophy’

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Indian media reported on Friday.

The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February- March window in 2025, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the BCCI seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

Reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the BCCI, that Team India will not be visiting Pakistan for the Champions Trophy citing security concerns.

The reports also suggest that the BCCI has expressed their desire to move their matches to Dubai.

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“The BCCI has conveyed their concerns regarding Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. They want to play matches at a neutral venue and Dubai is the strong candidate to host the fixtures involving Team India,” a source told Times of India.

“This has been our [BCCI’s] stance and there is no reason to change that. We have written to them and asked them to shift our games to Dubai,” another source stated.

For the unversed, India has not travelled to Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008 due to the long-standing political tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

In contrast, Pakistan has made four trips to India in the last 16 years. Their most recent visit was last year for the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan praises Haris Rauf after victory over Australia

Former opening batter Shikhar Dhawan has expressed his strong belief that India will emerge victorious in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 despite the team’s recent struggles.

India recently suffered their first-ever clean sweep defeat in a three-match Test series on their home turf against New Zealand.

However, Dhawan is optimistic about India clinching the trophy, citing their recent performances in the ICC events, having won the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 earlier this year.

“We have a strong chance to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2025,” said Dhawan. “We just won the T20 World Cup and reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. The team is in excellent form and rhythm.”

It’s worth noting that the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February- March window.

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However, as of now India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the BCCI seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

Shikhar Dhawan also expressed confidence in the coaching of India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, while praising the previous head coach Rahul Dravid for building a team with a blend of veterans and talented youngsters.

“With Gautam [Gambhir] Bhai as [head] coach, and under the guidance of Rahul [Dravid] Bhai, we’ve done really well. We have a great mix of seniors and youngsters, which is crucial,” he added.

For the unversed, Shikhar Dhawan was part of the Indian squad that lifted the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013.

The southpaw played a crucial role in India’s triumph and was awarded Player of the Series, having scored 363 runs in five innings at an average of 90.75 with two centuries.

READ: Pakistan squad holds practice session in Adelaide ahead of second Australia ODI

Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has expressed satisfaction with the ongoing upgradation work at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The Gaddafi Stadium upgradation project has reached approximately 50% completion, with significant progress observed in the construction of enclosures and the main building floors, which are now in their final stages.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February to March, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

But Mohsin Naqvi remained optimistic that all eight teams will visit Pakistan to participate in the ICC event.

Naqvi recently conducted a detailed visit to Gaddafi Stadium to oversee the project’s development. He also inspected the construction of a cricket museum and souvenir shop within the main building.

During his visit, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi observed accelerated progress in enclosure renovations and main building flooring, with the work on floors nearing completion.

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He held a meeting at the FWO camp office, where project drawings were presented to assess the key design elements.

Chairman Naqvi emphasized the need to keep the parking area spacious and instructed that the external appearance of the main building be made visually appealing.

Additionally, he directed FWO and other relevant authorities to complete the construction within the stipulated timeframe.

The PCB chairman said the importance of completing the renovations by the Champions Trophy, adding that Gaddafi Stadium is being transformed to meet international standards with improved facilities for players and spectators.

“Our goal is to have Gaddafi Stadium ready ahead of the Champions Trophy, meeting international standards,” stated Mohsin Naqvi. “We’re enhancing facilities for players and cricket fans alike.”

PCB officials including the director of infrastructure, director of domestic, senior general manager of infrastructure, and officials from FWO and NESPAK were also present in the meeting.

READ: Mohamed Salah drops hint about his future at Liverpool

Legendary pacer Wasim Akram has expressed hope that the India men’s team will tour Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February- March window, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the BCCI seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

Remember, reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the BCCI, that the Indian team will not be visiting Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

India has not travelled to Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008 due to the long-standing political tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

In contrast, Pakistan has made four trips to India in the last 16 years. Their most recent visit was last year for the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023.

Wasim Akram, during an online press conference from Melbourne, recently shared his optimism regarding a potential visit from India to Pakistan.

He mentioned that he has been reading positive news from India, which has given him a sense of hope for the potential visit to Pakistan.

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“I think whatever I’m reading, there are positive vibes from [the] Indian government and [the] BCCI,” Akram said. “I also read somewhere they will play probably all their games in Lahore.”

The legendary fast bowler warmly welcomed the Indian cricket team to Pakistan, expressing his enthusiasm and assurance that they would be treated with exceptional hospitality during their stay.

“They will probably come to Lahore and travel [back] the same night. I’m all for it, as long as India is comfortable. And I can promise you, they [are] going to get looked after amazingly well,” he added.

“I mean, Indian cricketers like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, [Hardik] Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, they have fans in Pakistan. The young cricket fans adore them,” he concluded.

Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi reiterated that all eight teams, including India, will visit Pakistan to participate in the Champions Trophy 2025.

“Do not worry, all teams will come to Pakistan to play Champions Trophy,” Naqvi said in a casual interaction with the media in Karachi.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan extends warm invitation to India for Champions Trophy

Newly-appointed Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan extended a heartfelt invitation to India men’s cricket team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February- March window, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the BCCI seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

Remember, reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the BCCI, that the Indian team will not be visiting Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

India has not travelled to Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008 due to the long-standing political tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

In contrast, Pakistan has made four trips to India in the last 16 years. Their most recent visit was last year for the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023.

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Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan, a part of the Pakistan squad that travelled to India for the mega event last year, acknowledged the hospitality Pakistan players received and asserted that the Indian players would be treated similarly.

“Pakistan fans love Indian players; we received love in India as well (during the 2023 World Cup). We also want India to come to Pakistan and play here. I’m unsure if they’re coming for the Champions Trophy, but one thing is certain – if they come, they’ll receive an awesome welcome here,” stated Rizwan.

It is worth mentioning that Rizwan was appointed Pakistan’s white-ball captain on Sunday, replacing star batter Babar Azam, who stepped down from the role earlier this month in a bid to focus more on his status as a player.

Rizwan’s first assignment will be a three-match away ODI series against Australia, followed by as many T20Is.

READ: Rizwan-led Pakistan squad reaches Australia for white-ball series

KARACHI: Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket (PCB), visited the National Bank Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday to inspect the ongoing construction work ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February to March, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

But Mohsin Naqvi remained and reiterated that all eight teams will visit Pakistan to participate in the ICC event.

During his visit to the stadium, Naqvi thoroughly reviewed the ongoing upgradation work. He emphasized the importance of enhancing the fan experience by directing the team to relocate the electronic score screen to a more suitable position.

This adjustment aims to ensure that the screen does not obstruct the view of the spectators, allowing everyone to enjoy the game without impediments.

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“We want fans to have an uninterrupted view of the matches, so adjusting the screen placement is a priority,” said the PCB chairman.

Furthermore, he instructed that the parking area be relocated to a spot nearer to the stadium, enhancing accessibility and ensuring greater convenience for fans attending the events.

The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) briefed the chairman about the progress of the renovations at the National Stadium. Adviser Aamir Mir and National Stadium Manager Arshad Khan were also present on the occasion.

Naqvi instructed the FWO Official to complete the stadium upgradation in time for the Champions Trophy.

“The upgradation project should be accelerated with day and night efforts for the tournament,” he stated.

READ: “Selection committee to decide Fakhar Zaman’s future,” says Mohsin Naqvi