Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh made a bold statement on a Pakistani TV show when enraged after provocation. He declared that the country would not be sending a squad for the Champions Trophy if "our players are not safe" in Pakistan. "If our players are not safe in Pakistan, then we will not send the team there. Aapko Khelna hai khelo, mt khelo nhi toh” he said in a heated exchange on a Pakistani show.
He further went on to say that “Indian cricket can survive without Pakistan. If you guys can survive without Indian cricket then do it.”
India last toured Pakistan in 2008 and the last bilateral series between the two was held in 2012-13. BCCI might not send the team to Pakistan in light of the strained political relations between the two countries. However, BCCI will reportedly ask the Indian Cricket Council (ICC) to hold the tournament in a hybrid mode, with some matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka.
Pakistan will be hosting the 2025 Champions league trophy, which will make a return to calendar after 8 long years. Pakistan were also the victors in the last edition of the tournament in 2017, beating India in the final at The Oval in London.
For this tournament, Pakistan reportedly set Lahore as the venue for all of team India’ matches for ease of travel for the team and fans. Pakistan had also hosted the Asia Cup last year, but India, who went on to win the trophy, played all of their matches in Sri Lanka under a ‘hybrid model’.
The Champions trophy tournament, featuring 8 nations, is scheduled to be held in Paksitan in Febuary and march of 2025. It is the first major cricket tournament that will be hosted by Pakistan since 1996, when it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with Sri Lanka and India.