Image: Shehzad criticized the PCB for the neutral venue of the 2025 Champions Trophy / © NDTV Sports
Pakistan is all set in the spotlight as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 takes shape, but controversy continues to brew. Recent ICC resolutions dictate that India and Pakistan won’t travel to each other’s countries for ICC events from 2024 to 2027. As a result, India’s Champions Trophy matches will be played at neutral venues, a significant blow to Pakistan’s hopes of hosting its arch-rival on home soil. Similarly, Pakistan will play its games outside India in upcoming ICC tournaments like the Women’s World Cup 2025 and Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad recently criticized the PCB and Indian authorities during a podcast, sarcastically suggesting building a stadium on the border to facilitate games. Shehzad expressed disappointment over the PCB missing a “golden opportunity” to host India and emphasized that ICC events were the only viable platform to achieve this. He said:
Build a stadium on the border. One gate should open in India, the other in Pakistan. Their players can come from there, our players can go from here. But again, I think BCCI or the Indian government will have an issue. They’ll say that when your player comes to the field on our side, we’ll not give him a visa for that. Pakistan had a golden chance to host India. All cricket boards had signed the agreement in 2021 that Pakistan will host the Champions Trophy. ICC cannot back off.
The Champions Trophy 2025 hybrid model ensures the tournament proceeds without disruption, but it highlights the political complexities in Indo-Pak cricketing ties. Fans and players alike are left navigating the disappointment of these decisions amidst growing calls for solutions that uphold the spirit of the game.