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Pakistan media has claimed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has conveyed in writing to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that India "isn't travelling" to Pakistan to participate in the Champions Trophy next year.
The development comes after reports surfaced about the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informing the ICC that the team India would not travel to Pakistan for the coveted tournament in 2025. Due to tense political ties between both nations, India has not travelled to Pakistan since 2008, when they played the Asia Cup over there. The arch-rivals played their last bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, a white-ball series and now mostly play in ICC tournaments/Asia Cups. India has held the stance of not travelling to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy, citing security concerns. Earlier this year, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla stated that India will travel to Pakistan only if the government of India permits it. On Sunday, reputed Pakistan commentator and journalist Nauman Niaz took to X to reveal that the PCB has been informed by the ICC about India not travelling to Pakistan for the tournament. He also revealed that the Pakistan board is also in the process of deciding against playing India in any format at any level. "ICC conveys in writing to PCB that India isn't travelling to Pakistan to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Sources, reliable & impenetrable reveal PCB has referred it to the Government of Pakistan. PCB is unrelenting & unsparing not to agree on the hybrid model, also in the process to decide not to play against India at any level across any format anywhere in the world," Nauman wrote on X. Last year, Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup, but the tournament was hosted in a hybrid model. India played its matches in Sri Lanka while the rest of the matches were hosted in Pakistan. Later that year, India hosted the ODI World Cup and the Pakistan team travelled to participate in the tournament. Throughout the tournament, players received a warm welcome from the fans. Notably, Pakistan also travelled to India for the T20 World Cup in 2016 which was won by the West Indies, a tournament where Carlos Braithwaite smashed successive four sixes in the final against England. Recently, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi shrugged away the chances of holding the Champions Trophy in a hybrid model. "I discussed this with them and my team, and our stance is clear: they need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one. The Indian media are reporting it, but no formal communication has reached the PCB," Naqvi said on Friday while addressing reporters in Lahore. (ANI)
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