ICC Champions Trophy 2025 | Indian government to decide on India's participation in CT 2025 in Pakistan
The Indian government has raised doubts over India’s participation in Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, saying that it will monitor the security situation in the country at the time and will take a call accordingly. It will be the first ICC tournament hosted by Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) rewarded the hosting rights of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 to Pakistan in a host release for ICC tournaments during the 2024-2031 cycle on Tuesday. It will be the first ICC tournament in Pakistan since 1996 ODI World Cup, which was also co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
There are doubts over India’s participation in the tournament, with Sports Minister and former BCCI president Anurag Thakur clarifying that the Indian government will monitor the security situation in Pakistan at the time and will take decision depending on circumstances.
"The Indian government - the Home Ministry - has earlier also made its decision. When such global tournaments happen several factors are considered,” Thakur told reporters in Delhi.
"Even in the past, you would have seen many countries have pulled out to go there (Pakistan) and play because the situation there is not normal. Security is the main challenge there, like teams have been attacked in the past, which is a concern. So when the time comes, the Indian government will take a decision depending on the circumstances then."
India haven't have played an international series in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup. Their last bilateral tour of Pakistan dates back to 2005-06, when the Rahul Dravid led side lost 0-1 in a three-match Test series, before winning the ODI series 4-1. The tense political relations between the two countries have limited bilateral series, the last of which came in India in 2012-13. Since then, the teams have only met head-to-head in Asia Cup and ICC tournaments.