There is quite a bit of chatter around the 2025 Champions Trophy. With Pakistan being the hosts, India are yet to make a decision if they will travel or not. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have been urging India to fly and have promised all the safety measures.
However, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has been clear in its stance, stating that they will follow all the measures that will be put in place by the Indian government. However, the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has given the assurance that the visas for any Indian fans that will fly to Pakistan for the eight-team 50-over tournament will be treated on an urgent basis.
In fact, the PCB boss who is also the Federal Interior Minister assured that there will be a ‘special quota of tickets’. There will also be a quickened visa process for Indian fans.
“We will maintain a special quota of tickets for Indian fans. And we aim to ensure a fast visa issuance process,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was quoted saying according to a local newspaper in Pakistan on the 1st of November (Friday).
Champions Trophy returns after 8 years
The Champions Trophy was last played in 2017. Pakistan won that tournament when they beat India by 180 runs in the final. The eight-team mega event returns after a gap of eight years. It is scheduled to be played between the 19th of February and the 9th of March. Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore are the venues which will host the 15 matches of the tournament. Apart from hosts Pakistan, India, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are the teams that will participate in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
The 46-year-old urged the Indian fans to fly to Pakistan, especially to watch the high-octane India-Pakistan clash which is currently scheduled for the 1st of March in Lahore. In fact, all three of India’s games are slated to be played in Lahore at the moment.
However, all of this could well change if the government denies the Indian cricket team the NOC (No-Objection Certificate) to play in Pakistan. India have not travelled to Pakistan since 2008 i.e. the terror attack in Mumbai. The two teams have played just one bilateral series in the last 16 years which was back in 2012.
There have been multiple reports that the ICC could implement a hybrid model if the Indian government doesn’t give permission for Rohit Sharma and co to travel to Lahore. Dubai has been considered as a venue to host all India matches along with the knockouts. Pakistan were the hosts for the 2023 Asia Cup as well. But since India were not allowed to travel, a hybrid model was brought in place. Sri Lanka hosted all India games along with the second half of the tournament.
With just over three months left for the big showpiece event, it’ll be interesting to see what decision is taken. The Indian government and the BCCI have not commented on this issue yet.
