India played all of its matches in Dubai, despite Pakistan being official CT 2025 hosts.
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya gave an amazing reply when asked why Men in Blue didn’t travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament. Pakistan was the official host of the tournament, but India played all of its games in Dubai under a hybrid model.
India won the Champions Trophy for the third time in a row after defeating New Zealand in the 2025 finals in Dubai, headed by Rohit Sharma.
However, the entire team has been tainted by the 'advantage' issue, with numerous cricket analysts claiming that the Indian camp had the advantage of being stationed in one location and knowing the pitch conditions well.
When asked why his side did not travel to Pakistan for the eight-team event, Hardik Pandya responded with maturity.
India first topped Group A by beating Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, and then the side made its way to the final by beating Steve Smith-led Australia in the semi-final.
“I am sure Pakistani people living in Dubai must have enjoyed our performance. The question of why we didn’t go is way above my pay grade," Hardik Pandya told reporters.
In the Champions Trophy, Hardik Pandya scored 99 runs. With the ball in hand, the seamer took four wickets. In the Group A encounter against Pakistan, Hardik grabbed Babar Azam's important wicket.
"I have always played cricket to win. This is not just a dialogue. I have always put the team above myself. It doesn’t matter if Hardik Pandya does well or not, but the team must do well. This mindset has helped me face hardships and taught me not to run away from challenges.
If challenges are tough, throw punches. Keep fighting. Don’t leave the battlefield. If you give up, you won’t learn and grow. It’s like fielding; if you dive, you will be able to stop the ball. If you don’t, you will never understand the outcome," he added.
The all-rounder further added that the team's victory in the 2025 edition avenged its humiliation in the 2017 tournament when India lost the summit battle against Pakistan at the Oval in London.
“Now that we have won, I can say that I have avenged that 2017 final loss. But eight years is a long time; a lot has happened. For me, India’s win is important. Fans back home are happy; this is the best we can offer from our side.
This team enjoys each other’s company and success. It is not an individually driven team. It’s Team India. We all believe that everyone can finish the game or do something magical. We have all come together for one goal; if you score zero, it doesn’t matter as long as the team is winning," he concluded.
(ANI inputs)