Tanvir Ahmed, former Pakistan pacer, has openly dared the Indian team to come to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, citing that Pakistan wasn’t afraid to visit India in 2023 for the ODI World Cup.
As Pakistan prepares to host the ICC Champions Trophy early next year, the question of whether the T20 World Cup-winning Indian side would take part remains central. India hasn't played cricket in Pakistan in over a decade, and it's unclear whether this will change soon.
BCCI has reportedly requested ICC to host its matches in the Champions Trophy in either Dubai or Sri Lanka, while PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi has refused to let the tournament get out of Pakistan. This will be the first time since 1996, that Pakistan will be hosting an ICC event.
Harbhajan Singh, a former Indian spinner, expressed concern about India's prospective tour to Pakistan, noting the precarious security environment.
Tanvir Ahmed, an ex-Pakistan pacer, has openly challenged the Indian squad to visit Pakistan, citing Pakistan's visit to India for the ODI World Cup last year.
Tanvir Ahmed’s video has gone viral on social media wherein he commends the Pakistan team for being "brave and fearless" for traveling to India to play cricket. In the clip, he extends an invitation to the Indian team to come to Pakistan, reassuring them of their safety.
"Sher hai hum log sher hai, hum log sher hai. Hum log tere mulk me aa ke khel ke gaye hai. Aake dikha....Hum toh kah rahe hai aake khelo. Security denge, sab kuch denge tum logon ko. Aao toh sahi ek dafaa [We are lions, we are lions. We came and played cricket in your country. Come here and show... We are inviting you to come and play. We will provide security, we will give you everything. Just come once]," said Tanvir Ahmed.
"Yeh sirf Pakistan ke playeron ka kaam hai, bhai. Sirf Pakistan ke player aate hai aur khelke chale jaate hai. Chahe jeete, chahe haare, jis tarah ki cricket khele. Woh India jaake khelke wapas aaye the. Isko kahte hai ek daler team aur daler players [It's only the Pakistan players who do this. Only Pakistani players come and play and go back, regardless of winning or losing, and no matter how they play. They went to India and returned after playing there. This is what you call a brave team and brave players]," he added.
Meanwhile, as per the reported draft schedule of the Champions Trophy submitted by PCB to ICC, all of India’s group matches are scheduled in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. PCB has also assured that the Indian team will stay at the same hotel throughout their visit. The idea behind this arrangement is to implement more effective and secure measures.
