Shoaib Malik has passionately urged the Indian Cricket Team to visit Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled for February next year. Despite the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) not yet providing official confirmation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly deferred the decision to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to persuade the Indian team to participate in this prestigious event.
Malik, a former Pakistan captain, emphasized that political differences should not interfere with sports. He highlighted that the Pakistani people are exceptionally welcoming and believes it would be beneficial for the Indian team to experience the atmosphere in Pakistan during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. “Whatever reservations there are between the countries, that’s a separate issue and should be resolved separately. Politics shouldn’t come into sports. The Pakistan team visited India last year, and now it’s a great opportunity for the Indian team to do the same. Many Indian players have yet to play in Pakistan, and we are very hospitable people. I’m confident the Indian team should come,” Malik told Cricket Tamasha.
Recent reports indicate that the ICC did not address the schedule and format of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 during its latest annual conference in Sri Lanka. According to the draft schedule, the PCB has arranged all of India’s matches, including the semi-final and final, to be held in Lahore, with the India vs Pakistan game set for March 1. Last year, Pakistan was initially slated to host the Asia Cup exclusively, but due to the BCCI’s refusal to send their team, Sri Lanka was added as a co-host, and India’s matches were relocated there.
With just six months left until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 begins, the ICC faces a pressing need to finalize India’s participation. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining how this situation unfolds.