Mohammad Rizwan, who was recently unveiled as the new white-ball captain of Pakistan team, has said that he wants India to come to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament. Pakistan will host an ICC event for the first time since 1996 and it will be played February-March next year.
The 2025 Champions Trophy will begin on February 19, with the final planned for March 9. Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi have been chosen as the locations.
Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has voiced optimism that the 2019 ICC Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan, with all nations, including arch rivals India, taking part.
India has not sent a cricket team to Pakistan since July 2008 due to strained political relations between the two countries. However, Pakistan's freshly designated limited-overs captain, Mohammad Rizwan, feels India should come to Pakistan for the major competition.
"Pakistan fans love Indian players; we received love in India as well (during the 2023 World Cup). We also want India to come to Pakistan and play here. I'm unsure if they're coming for the Champions Trophy, but one thing is certain - if they come, they'll receive an awesome welcome here,” Rizwan stated at a press conference.
In a recent interview with TimesofIndia.com, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh stressed the safety concerns of Indian players in Pakistan. The seasoned spinner believes that player safety is the most important consideration.
"There are significant safety concerns in Pakistan. I’ve always said, and I still believe, that if there’s no guarantee of safety, our players shouldn’t travel to Pakistan," Harbhajan told TimesofIndia.com.
