Champions Trophy 2025: PCB wants clear explanation from ICC over India's refusal to travel to Pakistan

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially reached out to the International Cricket Council (ICC), requesting a formal written explanation regarding India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

Sources confirm that, in light of government directives, the PCB has sent an official email to the ICC, requesting clarity on the verbal statement made by the ICC regarding the Indian team’s decision not to participate in the event in Pakistan.

In an exclusive development, the PCB has demanded a formal response from the ICC to understand the specific reasons behind the Indian team's reluctance. The PCB's request comes in the wake of mounting uncertainty over the tournament's schedule, with the delay in announcing the ICC Champions Trophy fixtures attributed to India's position on the matter.

The issue has prompted a strong reaction from the Government of Pakistan, which is reportedly prepared to take a firm stance. If the Indian team continues to refuse to travel to Pakistan, the government has indicated that Pakistan's own participation in any future events involving India will be reconsidered.

The PCB's spokesperson recently confirmed the situation in an exclusive interview with Sports Tak, revealing that the board had received an official email from the ICC. This communication contained a notification from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), outlining their refusal to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. In response, the PCB forwarded the ICC’s correspondence to the Government of Pakistan for further guidance.

"The PCB has received an email from the ICC, stating that the BCCI has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025," the spokesperson said. "We have forwarded that email to the Government of Pakistan for their advice and guidance."

Despite the ICC receiving the BCCI's notification earlier this week, the specifics of the communication remain unclear. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had previously stressed that no formal communication had been received from the BCCI and insisted that any concerns from the Indian board should be presented in writing.

"We have a clear stance that they must give it to us in writing if they have any issues," Naqvi told reporters. "Till today, we have not spoken about any hybrid model, but we’re ready to speak on this."

As the situation unfolds, all eyes are on the ICC's response and how it will shape the future of the 2025 Champions Trophy.