India clinched the T20 World Cup title in a remarkable fashion, defeating South Africa by 7 runs in the final held on June 29th in Bridgetown. Following this historic triumph, Indian fans now eagerly await the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, a 50-over tournament scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February 19th to March 9th next year. However, the key question remains whether the Indian team will travel to Pakistan for this event, given that the country has been awarded hosting duties.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has proposed hosting all of India’s matches in Lahore.

According to Aaj Tak, the Indian team may not travel to Pakistan and the final decision rests with the Indian government.

“While the details of the tournament have not yet been discussed, it is highly unlikely that the Indian team will travel to Pakistan. Ultimately, the decision rests with the Indian government. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plans to raise this issue at the upcoming ICC meeting in Sri Lanka this month,” quoted a source.

“The government’s decision on this matter will be final, as we have not yet confirmed it internally.

Since this is an ICC event, we do not have the authority to make any unilateral decisions. However, more details may emerge during the next ICC meeting,” he continued.

Following the Asia Cup 2023 being organized under a ‘hybrid model’, PCB now fears the upcoming Champions Trophy may also have to adopt this format. This concern stems from the possibility that if the Indian team does not tour Pakistan, their matches in the Champions Trophy could be relocated to the UAE or Sri Lanka.

During ICC board meetings, each member can raise issues that are then voted on. However, if a member country’s government prohibits its team from playing in a certain location, the ICC must find alternative arrangements.

For instance, last year during the Asia Cup tournament, BCCI President Roger Binny and Vice President Rajiv Shukla visited Pakistan.