The BCCI is yet to confirm India’s participation in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Pakistan is set to host the ICC Champions Trophy in February-March next year and has reportedly designated Lahore as the venue for all of India's matches to make travel easier for the team and fans.
The complete fixtures for the tournament, slated to run from February 19 to March 9, will be revealed later.
However, the BCCI is yet to confirm India’s participation in the competition. The Indian team has not toured Pakistan since 2008 due to strained diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup last year, but India, who went on to win the continental event, played all of their matches in Sri Lanka under a 'hybrid model'.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly taken a firm stance on hosting the forthcoming Champions Trophy within its territory.
In a tit-for-tat move, the PCB has threatened to pull out of the 2026 T20 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, if the Indian team refuses to travel across the border for the Champions Trophy.
According to a Geo News report, the Pakistan board will oppose any hybrid model proposals during the ICC's annual conference in Colombo later this month.
The PCB's unwavering position comes in response to Indian media reports claiming that the BCCI won’t send the Indian team to Pakistan for the showpiece tournament.
The BCCI has hinted at requesting the ICC to adopt a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, allowing India to play their matches either in Sri Lanka or Dubai.
The cricketing ties between India and Pakistan have been fraught with political and security issues since the 2008 Mumbai attack. While the arch-rivals last played a limited-overs series in 2012, their last meeting in Tests was way back in 2007. In this period, they've only clashed in multi-nation tournaments such as the World Cup and the Asia Cup.
Amidst all this, the ICC finds itself in a tough spot. The upcoming ICC Annual Conference in Colombo is expected to be a critical juncture where the PCB will strongly oppose any hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025.
(With IANS Inputs)