Amid rising political unrest and violent protests in Pakistan, several cricket boards, including India, have taken serious security concerns over the 2025 Champions Trophy. With less than 100 days to go till the tournament, the status of the event is now under serious threat as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is preparing for a new meeting on November 29 to discuss the ongoing situation and take a final decision.
India’s Firm Stand: No Travel To Pakistan
This comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India, BCCI clarified early this month that they were not going to visit Pakistan anytime soon for the Champions Trophy. This now will make it 16 years without India playing a single game of cricket at a Pakistan venue since the visit way back in 2008 for the Asia Cup. India’s withdrawal has thrown a question mark over the event’s feasibility in Pakistan, and the ICC and other boards are now reassessing the venue.
PCB’s Stand: The Tournament Should Remain In Pakistan
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had been quite insistent on playing the 2025 Champions Trophy entirely in Pakistan. Still, in response to India and other cricket boards, the PCB said it would consider a hybrid model – like that adopted for some matches of the 2023 Asia Cup, when some were played in Pakistan and others at neutral venues.
Security Fears Can Lead To Relocation Of The Tournament
According to report by IANS, the security issues in Pakistan have increased lately, mainly in the wake of violent protests in Islamabad. Other than India, other cricket boards have apparently expressed the same concerns. The instability is increasing, and many feel that the Champions Trophy could be taken out of Pakistan entirely. That may happen if the situation does not change for the better before the tournament.
Growing Security Concern After Political Unrest
The growing security concerns were more underlined when the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team left in the middle of its tour of Pakistan for the three-match ODI series against the Pakistan Shaheens. The team aborted its tour after playing one match and returned to safety. This incident has heightened worries over hosting international cricket in Pakistan in the given situation.
Schedule & Locations Still Not Finalized
There are less than three months to the scheduled beginning of the Champions Trophy but the schedule of the event is still not confirmed. Reports suggest that the draft schedule currently places the tournament between February 19 and March 9, 2025. Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi were supposed to host the matches, but the uncertainty surrounding the security situation may change the venues.
India’s Group In The Proposed Draft Schedule
India, along with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, is put in Group A in the proposed draft schedule. This, however, is subject to the scheduled event happening in Pakistan as planned. Any change of venue or format may affect these groupings.
The First ICC Event In Pakistan Since 1996
If the tournament does take place in Pakistan, it will be the first ICC event since the 1996 Cricket World Cup, which the country hosted. The ambiguity over the event reflects challenges that Pakistan is facing regarding international cricket staging, in view of the growing unease about the political and security situation.
With the ICC meeting nearing, the future of the 2025 Champions Trophy remains uncertain, with the possibility of the tournament being moved to another location still on the table.
