The closer we inch towards the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, India’s stance on whether the team will travel to Pakistan for the ICC event keeps getting clearer. Rest assured, it will take a miracle… and then some for India to cross the border, which is why former Pakistan greats are annoyed with India’s reluctance to budge from their stance. PCB official Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday revealed that the ICC has written to them that India won’t come to Pakistan to play, which clearly hasn’t sat too well with the likes of Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq, among others.
Never afraid to speak his mind, Miandad called for a boycott of India matches. The India vs Pakistan rivalry always holds a special place in the hearts of Indian fans; some even feel that playing India is important for Pakistan as it helps generate revenue; Miandad, however, reckons Pakistan are better off without playing India, indirectly implying that if the reigning T20 World Champions decide not to come, the CT should go on as planned.
“It is a joke that this is happening. Even if we don’t play India at all, Pakistan cricket will not only survive but prosper as well as we have shown in the past. I would like to see how the ICC events earn money when there are no Pakistan and India matches,” Miandad was quoted as saying by PTI.
Multiple reports have surfaced over the last 15 days, some claiming that India’s request for a hybrid model will be accepted, with their set of matches being played in either UAE or Sri Lanka. But there’s still no clarity over whether such a model will get a go-ahead from the ICC. The last time something similar happened was in 2023 when the Asia Cup – scheduled to be held in Pakistan – underwent a model tweak with Sri Lanka hosting India’s matches.
India haven’t travelled to Pakistan for cricket in 16 years
While several Test teams such as Australia, New Zealand and England have not only travelled to Pakistan but played out full-blown Test series, India remain apprehensive.
The Champions Trophy in February is the first big ICC series hosted in Pakistan since cricket was completely banned following the 2009 attacks, and Inzamam believes India’s stubbornness should not hamper Pakistan’s moment under the sun. India have not been to Pakistan to play cricket since the 2008 Asia Cup, and it’s unlikely that it’ll change this time around either.
“They are depriving cricket of such a big occasion. There is no threat to the Indian team in Pakistan. In fact, they would get the best hospitality here,” said Inzamam.
Rashid Latif, another former Pakistan captain, called India’s stance unacceptable. “Enough is enough. When all teams are playing in Pakistan without any problem, this decision by India is purely political, and that should be unacceptable in all sports, including cricket,” he said.
The tentative schedule was reportedly expected to be revealed today, November 11, without venues.
