Champions Trophy 2025: Indian journalist claims 99.9 % chance national team won’t travel to Pakistan

Lahore: Indian sports journalist Vikrat Gupta has made a claim that there is a 99.9% probability that the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

In a statement shared on the social media platform of a local sports channel, Gupta said that the Indian team would abstain from participating in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and the tournament would consequently be conducted under a hybrid model.

He further revealed that both the semi-finals and the final match of the 2025 Champions Trophy would be played under this hybrid format, with most of the arrangements expected to be finalized in an upcoming meeting within the week.

Reflecting on past events, last year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) exerted pressure on the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), leading to a refusal to play the Asia Cup in Pakistan. This decision forced the tournament to be held in a hybrid model across Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Additionally, recent reports from Indian media have suggested that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is contemplating relocating the tournament away from Pakistan.

As per the proposed schedule, the Champions Trophy's opening match is slated to occur between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19 at National Stadium Karachi. Subsequently, Pakistan is scheduled to compete against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on February 24.

The highly anticipated Pakistan-India match is planned for March 1 in Lahore. The semi-finals are scheduled for March 5 and 6 in Karachi and Rawalpindi, respectively, with the final set to take place at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on March 9.