"We'll play without them," Pakistan pacer on India's potential 2025 Champions Trophy absence

Medium pacer Hasan Ali has addressed the possibility of India not participating in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which is set to be held in Pakistan. 

In an interview at a local news channel, Ali expressed support for the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) stance, asserting that the tournament will proceed in Pakistan regardless of India's participation.

He emphasized the importance of separating sports from politics, noting that many Indian players have expressed a desire to play in Pakistan.

"If we're going there (to India) to play, then they should come to Pakistan too. A lot of people have said countless times that sports should stay away from politics. But if you look at it from another angle, many Indian players have said in interviews that they want to play in Pakistan. So it doesn't mean that the team doesn't want to come; they definitely do. But obviously, they have their own policies, country, and board to consider," Ali said.

Highlighting the resolve to proceed with hosting the tournament despite potential absences, Hasan emphasized that the event would still be successful and cricket in Pakistan would continue unabated.

"As our chairman has already said, if the Champions Trophy is going to be held in Pakistan, then it will be in Pakistan. If India don't want to come, we'll play without them. Cricket should be played in Pakistan, and if India don't want to participate, it doesn't mean cricket has ended. There are many other teams besides India," he concluded.

Reports indicate that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is contemplating requesting the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate their matches to neutral venues like Sri Lanka or Dubai, due to ongoing political tensions. 

The strained relations have prevented India from playing a bilateral series in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup. Their last series was hosted in India from December 2012 to January 2013, and since then, encounters between the two teams have been confined to ICC tournaments and Asia Cups.

The Champions Trophy is set to take place in Pakistan between February and March 2025, and the PCB remains committed to hosting the event.