Hardik Pandya witty response on India's decision not to travel to Pakistan for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya provided a cheeky response when asked about India’s decision not to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The question came during the post-match press conference after India’s four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the final on Sunday.

A Pakistani journalist asked Pandya why India had opted to play all their matches in the UAE instead of Pakistan, the official host of the tournament. 

In typical fashion, Pandya responded with a humorous remark: "It’s great. Even the people of Pakistan wanted us to play there, but it couldn’t happen. I’m sure all the Pakistanis in Dubai must have enjoyed the match. As for why the Indian team didn’t go to Pakistan, I think that’s above my pay grade," he said. 

Pandya’s witty comment, delivered with a smile, caused laughter in the room and quickly went viral on social media.

India’s decision to play the tournament in the UAE instead of Pakistan was made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) due to ongoing political tensions between the two nations. To address this, a hybrid model was used, with India playing in Dubai while other teams competed in Pakistan. This arrangement was similar to the one used for the 2023 Asia Cup, where India’s matches were held in Sri Lanka while Pakistan retained hosting rights.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has since announced that it will not send its team to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Instead, Pakistan has stated that they will play at a neutral venue.

On the field, India defeated New Zealand to claim the Champions Trophy 2025 title with a four-wicket win on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India successfully chased down a target of 252 runs with four wickets in hand and six balls to spare, thanks to a match-winning half-century from captain Rohit Sharma.

Earlier, New Zealand posted a total of 251 runs, despite a valiant half-century from Daryl Mitchell. 

This win marked India’s third Champions Trophy title, having previously won the prestigious tournament in 2002 and 2013.