News: India is still hesitant to go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy

There are certain possible challenges for Pakistan, which is scheduled to host the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, as the host country. There have been talks about a potential hybrid approach for the tournament after recent reports that one of the main participants, India, would not go to the neighbouring country.

In February and March of 2025, the Champions Trophy will make its cricket calendar debut for the first time since 2017. Pakistan last month gave the International Cricket Council (ICC) a proposed schedule after securing the hosting rights .However, geopolitical concerns have put the proposed plan—which includes India’s matches in Lahore—under investigation.

The India team’s chances of going to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy are slim, according to people with direct knowledge of the situation.

Authorities in cricket have been forced by this development to contemplate other arrangements, maybe implementing a hybrid model akin to the one employed for the 2023 Asia Cup.

The government will take a final, although it is quite doubtful that the team would proceed to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. A hybrid model is therefore being developed in that scenario. India might play its Asia Cup matches in the UAE or Sri Lanka. ICC will undoubtedly have an opinion on the matter, but for the time being, this is what we are considering. Let’s wait and see what happens later. It appears that it will be played using a hybrid model as of right now, the source told India Today.

Some matches, especially those featuring India, will be played in Sri Lanka or the United Arab Emirates under the proposed hybrid model. With this agreement, security issues and political sensitivities would be addressed and the competition could go forward.

It is anticipated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will speak with the ICC on venue modifications. If a deal about the hybrid model cannot be reached, News18 said that the entire event may be shifted to Dubai or Sri Lanka.

It is important to note that India has not visited Pakistan since 2008, and the two countries have not played many bilateral series, with the most recent one taking place in 2012–13. Similar circumstances resulted in the relocation of India’s matches from the recent Asia Cup in 2023 to Sri Lanka because of political unrest.