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Ahead of the grand opening ceremony and the captains’ event for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, there is still no clarity to whether India captain Rohit Sharma will travel to Pakistan.
The captains’ event is tentatively scheduled around February 16 or 17 in Karachi, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to get any official communication on it from the ICC.
“It [Rohit travelling to Pakistan] has not yet been discussed. It is not on the agenda yet,” ESPNcricinfo quogetd Devjit Saikia, the BCCI's newly appointed secretary, as saying.
It is understood that the PCB has requested the ICC to ensure that, as per standard practice, all teams and captains are available for the Champions Trophy photoshoot, opening ceremony and other pre-tournament engagements.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning a grand event, tentatively scheduled for February 16 or 17, subject to warm-up match fixtures.
Earlier reports had said that Rohit Sharma will be travelling to Pakistan to attend the opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy.
The eight-team event will feature Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa, alongside hosts Pakistan.
India to play at a neutral venue
India won't travel to Pakistan to play in the Champions Trophy despite the latter being announced as the hosts by the International Cricket Council. The Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed that they have not received the required permission from the Indian government to send their team to Pakistan.
Due to India's reluctance, the tournament is set to be played in a hybrid format, with Pakistan hosting most of the matches, but all of India's group games and the first semi-final will be played in Dubai.
The tournament will begin on February 19 when the hosts Pakistan will take in New Zealand in Karachi. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match will be held on February 23 in Dubai.
The final of the Champions Trophy will be played on March 9.