Pakistani and Indian gamers shake fingers after the ICC males’s Twenty20 World Cup 2022 cricket match at Melbourne Cricket Floor in Melbourne on October 23, 2022. — AFP
The board, owing to safety issues, has steered that the Males in  Blue’s return to Chandigarh or New Delhi after every match within the mega event set to be hosted by Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
The event comes as a consequence of uncertainty over India’s participation within the event, because the Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeks the Indian authorities’s approval to go to the nation for the mega event.
In mild of the truth that the neighbouring nation’s cricket staff haven’t travelled to Pakistan since 2008. The arch-rivals have additionally not had any bilateral collection since 2012-13.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is about to characteristic eight elite groups together with India, Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, primarily based on their performances within the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Three venues — Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore — will host the matches of eight groups and in line with PCB’s proposed schedule to ICC, all of India’s matches will happen in Lahore.
The PCB has reassured the BCCI of its dedication to offering each attainable consolation and safety to the Indian staff, providing versatile preparations to make sure their involvement within the extremely anticipated occasion.
Initially, all of India’s matches had been scheduled to happen in Lahore for comfort and ease of entry for the Indian staff and their followers.
Nonetheless, current proposals recommend that considered one of India’s group-stage matches — doubtlessly in opposition to New Zealand — is likely to be shifted to Rawalpindi.
This adjustment was steered by broadcasters, who advisable distributing India’s matches between Lahore and Rawalpindi to boost broadcast attain and fan engagement.
Prioritising the consolation and safety of the Indian staff, the board has indicated that they’re open to accommodating this transformation and has expressed its willingness to offer top-notch amenities and guarantee a easy keep, whatever the venue.
There may be additionally a ten-day hole between India’s second and third group matches, providing the Indian staff the choice to return to India for coaching or relaxation throughout the interim interval, with the PCB facilitating seamless journey logistics.
Of their communication with the BCCI, the PCB emphasised that the proposal for India to return residence between matches was not pushed by safety issues however geared toward offering consolation to the Indian gamers.
The PCB reiterated its readiness to make sure glorious hospitality, whether or not India chooses to play all their matches in Lahore or prefers a venue change to Rawalpindi.
The shut proximity of Lahore to the Indian border makes it a strategic location for India’s matches, whereas Rawalpindi, one other metropolis in Punjab province, stays a possible various.
India is positioned in Group A alongside host Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand.
