India has confirmed no cricket and terror tango will take place. India suggests a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025. BCCI and ICC are engaged in ongoing discussions for India’s participation in CT 2025.
The Indian cricket team will not participate in the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan due to concerns over terror attacks sponsored by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. Keeping in mind the safety and security of the players as well as the current relationship between the two countries, it is unlikely Team India will travel to Pakistan.
India has been planning to play all their matches of the CT 2025 in the subcontinent or friendly countries like Sri Lanka or the UAE. It is potentially a better option than Pakistan. Although, PCB has scheduled all India matches in Lahore.
How and why does the Indian cricket team travel to Pakistan to play?
There were numerous opinions on social media about how Pakistan is targeting our military and citizens. There had been constant attacks and ambushes on the Indian armed forces by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
Big news: the Indian cricket team will not participate in the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. There were many worries about whether India would travel to Pakistan while terror strikes funded by Pakistan were taking place in Jammu and Kashmir. But India has officially declared that no cricket and terror tango will take place.
Although PCB has submitted a draft schedule to the ICC for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. PCB has scheduled all India matches in Lahore on the draft schedule. According to insiders, the Indian squad would follow a hybrid format, similar to the recent Asia Cup 2023 event.
If not Pakistan then where?
This is a really big development as far as the Champions Trophy 2025 is concerned. India has clearly said that the India Team would not travel to Pakistan to play in CT 2025. ICC and BCCI officials are in touch. They are working to find neutral venues.
India played all their matches during Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka, including the Semi-finals and Finals. Although Pakistan was the hosting country for Asia Cup 2023. It is also very unlikely that the Indian team will travel to Pakistan to play and participate in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.
Keeping that in mind, as of now two countries are being considered for all Indian matches in CT 2025. One is UAE, where the Indian team may play all their matches in Dubai and the second is in Sri Lanka. As of now, ICC is looking into the matter.
If India withdraws from the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, what will happen?
The CT 2025 will feature the top seven ODI sides in ICC rankings and the host nation i.e. Pakistan. Rohit Sharma is confirmed as India’s captain by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. India may not participate due to their unwillingness to travel to Pakistan for cricket.
The Champions Trophy is set to be Gautam Gambhir’s first major assignment as India’s new head coach. This could also mark the end of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s white-ball careers. Both of them already announced retirement from the T20 Internationals on June 29, 2024.
The last time India toured Pakistan was in 2008. The last bilateral series happened in India in 2013. Both nations presently participate in ICC events only.
Champions Trophy 2025
BCCI is likely to propose to ICC a hybrid model for CT 2025 where India matches will be held either in Sri Lanka or UAE. As it happened during Asia Cup 2023 where the ACC (Asian Cricket Council)
agreed to conduct the tournament jointly by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla stated in May 2025 that the Indian team can only travel to Pakistan for the ICC tournament if the central government approves it.
India’s Government is unwilling to take any risk. India’s hopes of competing in the CT 2025 currently rest on the ICC’s decision. Whereas, ICC refuses to modify the tournament’s venue potentially triggering India’s withdrawal.
In case of India’s withdrawal from the CT 2025, Sri Lanka will replace the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team. The 2002 CT winners missed out due to their ninth-place finish in the points table in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
India’s performances in the Champions Trophy
The Champions Trophy is also popularly known as the Min World Cup, started in 2008. India have won the CT title twice. Sourav Ganguly led the Indian team jointly declared winner in 2002 with Sri Lanka. The second time was in 2013 under the leadership of MS Dhoni in England.
Team India was close to winning the CT title in 2000 and 2017. India lost the final against New Zealand in 2000. India lost the match against Pakistan in 2017. Apart from that, India got into the semi-finals of the CT in 1998.
Champions Trophy 2025 Draft Schedule
| Date | Group | Match Details |
|---|---|---|
| Period: February 19 to March 9, 2025 | ||
| 19 Feb | Group A | NZ VS PAK |
| 20 Feb | Group A | BAN vs IND |
| 21 Feb | Group B | AFG vs RSA |
| 22 Feb | Group B | AUS vs ENG |
| 23 Mar | Group A | NZ vs IND |
| 24 Mar | Group A | PAK VS BAN |
| 25 Mar | Group B | ENG VS AFG |
| 26 Mar | Group B | AUS VS RSA |
| 27 Mar | Group A | NZ VS BAN |
| 28 Mar | Group B | AUS VS AFG |
| 01 Mar | Group A | IND VS PAK |
| 02 Mar | Group B | ENG vs RSA |
The first semi-finals on March 5 in Karachi and the second semi-finals on March 6 in Rawalpindi. The final will be played in Lahore on March 9, 2024.