Champions Trophy 2025: India Will Not Travel to Pakistan, Want to Play Matches in Dubai - Report

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly written to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) asking for their matches to be staged in Dubai.

As per the provisional schedule released by the PCB earlier this year, India's matches were set to take place at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore. But India were yet to communicate to the PCB about their confirmation to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025.

The BCCI has always remained firm in their stance on waiting for the government's approval to travel to the neighbouring country, leading to doubts over the whole tournament being held in Pakistan.

Now, a report from The Indian Express suggests that the Indian cricket board has written to the PCB citing security concerns for their decision to not travel, and have also expressed their desire to play all their games in Dubai.

"This has been our stance and there is no reason to change that. We have written to them and asked them to shift our games to Dubai," The Indian Express quoted a source as saying after reports surfaced of PCB's willingness to implement a hybrid format for the tournament.

Times of India also reported the same, adding that the logistics won't be an issue in Dubai, and also added the venue - Dubai International Cricket Stadium has hosted several high profile tournament and matches earlier.

"There are no issues in Dubai. Hotels are not a problem, logistics not a problem, everything can be handled smoothly. And ICC does have things in control when it comes to Dubai," TOI quoted a different source as saying.

Reports on Thursday (November 7) stated that PCB is open to altering the 2025 Champions Trophy schedule with the change allowing India to play its matches in the UAE.

"The PCB feels that even if Indian government does not clear the tour to Pakistan slight adjustments can be made to the schedule, as in all probability India would play its matches in Dubai or Sharjah," a reliable source in the PCB was quoted by PTI.

The PCB has already shared a tentative schedule with the ICC months ago and want this schedule to be announced by 11 November. However, due to India's preference to play their matches in Dubai, it is unclear if the schedule will be announced on Monday (November 11).

"It (PCB) has told the ICC that since a back-up plan is already in place with a revised budget there is no sense in delaying releasing a tentative schedule of matches," said the source.

India has not travelled to Pakistan for a cricket tournament or a bilateral series since 2008, when they played in the Asia Cup. India has not played in Pakistan since then due to tense relations between the two countries.

Notably, India also did not travel to their neighbouring country for last year's Asia Cup, which was later staged in hybrid mode with all of India's matches and part of the tournament being moved to Sri Lanka.