Champions Trophy 2025: The reason for ICC stopping the trophy tour in Pakistan revealed! Click here to know

pc: news24online

The Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) region, which is part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, has been a source of ongoing dispute between India and Pakistan since it was invaded by Pakistan in 1947. Known as “Azad Kashmir” in Pakistan, the region has been a controversial topic in bilateral relations. The recent developments regarding the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour have once again brought POK into the limelight, giving rise to a diplomatic issue.

PCB announces Champions Trophy tour

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced the Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour, which is scheduled to take place in Islamabad and several scenic locations including Skardu, Hunza and Muzaffarabad – all located in POK. The Champions Trophy is a prestigious international cricket tournament, of which Pakistan is the defending champion after winning the 2017 edition under the leadership of Sarfaraz Ahmed.

A social media post from PCB
“Get ready, Pakistan! The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour will begin on November 16 in Islamabad, which will also visit tourist destinations like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad. Catch a glimpse of the trophy lifted by Sarfaraz Ahmed in 2017 at The Oval from 16-24 November.

BCCI objects to POK Trophy tour
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) immediately objected to the inclusion of POK territories in the Trophy tour. BCCI's concerns were officially lodged with the International Cricket Council (ICC), and BCCI secretary and future ICC president Jay Shah took up the matter directly with the global governing body.

Reports suggest that as a result of these objections, PCB's planned tour of POK has been canceled for the time being.

What next in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour?

In response to BCCI's objections, the PCB is now consulting the ICC to decide on how to proceed with the Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour. One possible solution is to limit the tour to the tournament's three host cities: Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore. This will exclude PoK areas and focus the tour on areas within Pakistan's internationally recognized borders.

BCCI refuses to go to Pakistan for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The controversy over the trophy tour is also linked to BCCI's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025 tournament, which is scheduled to be held in February next year. Given the political tension between the two countries, the BCCI has made it clear that Indian cricketers will not be traveling to Pakistan for the event, further adding to the uncertainty over the arrangements for the tournament.

Hybrid model proposed for Champions Trophy 2025
To deal with the logistical challenges, tournament organizers are now exploring a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025, where some matches could be held at neutral venues, while others could be played in Pakistan. However, the proposal has faced resistance from the PCB, which opposes the idea of ​​moving any matches from Pakistan.