Moin Khan Warns India Over ICC Champions Trophy Uncertainty; Asks Legends to 'Keep Sports Separate from Politics’

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Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan has voiced his concerns regarding India's hesitation to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to be hosted in Pakistan.

His warning to India reflects widespread frustration within the cricketing world over the long-standing absence of bilateral series between the two arch-rivals.

"Former India cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, etc., should tell their cricket board to keep politics away from cricket. Cricket should not be obstructed by political issues. The fans would love to see India and Pakistan play. It will not only benefit Pakistan, but overall cricket will be benefited." stated Moin Khan to Cricket Pakistan urging Indian legends to stop political tensions impact cricket.

He also urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to adopt a firm stance if India continues to refrain from confirming its participation and emphasized the role of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in ensuring that India honors its commitments, stating, "India ought to honour their commitments with the ICC. And if they do not come, then Pakistan should reconsider their decision to participate in any future events slated to be held in India."

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is a highly anticipated event, but India's involvement remains uncertain due to strained diplomatic relations between the two nations. India has not toured Pakistan since 2006, and while both countries have clashed in ICC tournaments, there have been no bilateral series since Pakistan's tour of India in 2012-13.

Despite this, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to confirm India's participation in the upcoming tournament. The issue of India's participation mirrors past instances, such as the 2023 Asia Cup, where India chose to play its matches in Sri Lanka due to security concerns in Pakistan.

Despite Pakistan being the official host, India went on to win the tournament in an alternate venue. Geoff Allardice, Chief Executive of the ICC, has confirmed that the tournament will remain in Pakistan, dismissing any rumors of relocation.