PCB firm on hosting entire 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan: report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is adamant about hosting all matches of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan, dismissing rumors of a neutral venue or alternative plan, as reported by a local news channel.

Recently, there have been reports suggesting a "plan B" where the Indian cricket team would play their matches at a neutral venue instead of traveling to Pakistan. However, the PCB insists that since Pakistan is the official host, the entire event should be held within the country. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will hold its annual meeting in Colombo from July 19 to 22, where the PCB delegation will present their strong stance on hosting all matches in Pakistan.

The PCB has proposed three venues for the tournament: Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. According to the PCB's schedule submitted to the ICC, all of India's matches are planned to take place in Lahore. To prepare for the event, the PCB has allocated Rs12.80 billion for upgrading these stadiums: Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, Karachi's National Bank Cricket Arena, and Rawalpindi International Cricket Stadium.

The PCB points out that except for India, all other participating teams have previously played in Pakistan and argues that India does not have a valid reason to avoid playing there. 

If India decides not to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, the PCB has indicated that Pakistan will reciprocate by not participating in the 2026 T20 World Cup, which India is set to co-host with Sri Lanka.

The proposed dates for the Champions Trophy are from February 19 to March 9, 2025. This tournament will mark the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last event held in 2017, where Pakistan won by defeating India in the final.