The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) signed the hosting rights agreement of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dubai on Friday (December 15).
The incumbent PCB chair Zaka Ashraf was present at the signing of the historic agreement and was joined by the ICC General Counsel Jonathan Hall.
The signing is a momentous occasion for Pakistan Cricket as the country has not hosted any major ICC tournament since the conclusion of the 1996 ODI World Cup.
All the eyes will be on the security arrangements made for the marquee tournament in Pakistan and hence Ashraf and his committee are trying to make sure that they leave no stone unturned in providing "to visiting international teams".
"The PCB in its capacity has already intimated the government to provide foolproof security to visiting international teams for the Champions Trophy. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in a recent meeting with Chairman PCB Management Committee assured the security agencies’ cooperation in the successful hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025," a PCB media release read.
Notably, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has not made any official statement on the participation of India in the multi-nation tournament.
The two Asian countries (India and Pakistan) haven't had ideal bilateral relations since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and it has impacted the cricketing ties between the two boards too.
The Indian cricket team hasn't travelled to Pakistan since it participated in the 2008 Asia Cup and lost to Sri Lanka in the final.
On the other hand, the last time Pakistan came to India to play a full-fledged bilateral series was back in 2012-13 and played a two-match T20I and a three-match ODI series. While the T20I series ended in a stalemate, Pakistan clinched the ODI leg 2-1.
Additionally, the recent organisation of the Asia Cup suggests that the BCCI might object to sending the Men in Blue to Pakistan.
The Men's Asia Cup 2023 was played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka because of the same reason. While Pakistan hosted a few teams on home soil, India played all of their games in the island nation.
