The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced an ambitious trophy tour across Pakistan in preparation for hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The tour is scheduled to launch on November 16 from Islamabad and will travel to scenic areas such as Skardu, Murree, Hunza, and Muzaffarabad, areas within Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The inclusion of these regions has drawn sharp reactions from India, which asserts its claim over PoK and opposes any international recognition of Pakistan’s control over the territory.
The PCB’s social media posts confirmed that the Champions Trophy trophy has arrived from Dubai and will begin its national tour as scheduled, despite India’s announced refusal to send its team to Pakistan due to ongoing diplomatic and security concerns. The Indian cricket board, BCCI, reportedly informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the PCB of its decision, which was supported by India’s central government.
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This development has intensified longstanding tensions between the two countries. Although the PCB holds hosting rights for the Champions Trophy, the BCCI’s refusal places the ICC under pressure to find a solution that could include either a hybrid model, which would allow India to play its matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), or a potential change in venue altogether. Another possibility under consideration is to delay the event indefinitely to prevent the tournament from being played without India, a major global cricket powerhouse.
The ICC had earlier cancelled an event scheduled for November 11 in Lahore to mark the 100-day countdown to the Champions Trophy, citing scheduling challenges due to India’s non-participation. Additionally, while Pakistan successfully hosted India for the 2016 T20 World Cup and 2023 50-over World Cup, the two nations have otherwise avoided bilateral series since the 2012-13 season, meeting only in ICC multi-nation events.
With its cricket administration led by federal minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi, the PCB has declared its intent to host the tournament despite India’s absence. The ICC has not yet issued a final decision on the tournament’s venue, adding further uncertainty as February 19, 2025, approaches, the scheduled start date for the eight-nation event across Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi.
This move by Pakistan to include PoK in the Champions Trophy tour echoes its history of inviting international attention to the disputed region, prompting repeated diplomatic rebuttals from India.
