Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice President Rajeev Shukla has said that the decision to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy will depend on government approval, and no decision has been made yet.
He expressed these views while talking to media on Monday at the Kanpur Test between India and Bangladesh.
He added that they always seek government permission for international tours, and it is up to the government to decide whether the Indian team should visit a particular country or not. They will abide by whatever decision the government makes.
It is noteworthy that India has not traveled to Pakistan for bilateral cricket since 2008, and both countries have only played against each other in ICC events.
It is also worth mentioning that Pakistan’s cricket team visited India last year for the ICC ODI World Cup after a gap of seven years.
Speculation suggests that India may not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. The Indian board might request the ICC to relocate the tournament from Pakistan to Sri Lanka or Dubai.
It should be recalled that the previous edition of the Asia Cup was played under a hybrid model, with India playing all their matches in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka hosted nine matches, while Pakistan hosted four.
The Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place next year from February 19 to March 9, and Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi stadiums are being upgraded for the event.
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