India’s position on the 2025 Champions Trophy has sparked significant controversy. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) formally notifying the ICC of their decision not to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the tournament, reactions from Pakistan’s cricketing community have been swift and strong. Among those voicing frustration is former Pakistan cricket icon Javed Miandad, who criticized India’s stance, calling it a “joke.” Javed Miandad went further, urging the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take a firm stand by boycotting all future matches with India.
It’s a joke that this is happening,
Miandad told PTI.
Even if we never play India again, Pakistan cricket will thrive. I’d like to see how ICC events profit without the excitement of India-Pakistan matches.
While the BCCI has proposed a “hybrid model” similar to the Asia Cup 2023 format, which allowed some matches to be played at neutral venues, PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi remains firm that Pakistan will host the entire event.
BCCI Faces Setback as PCB Dismisses Hybrid Model Rumors for Champions Trophy – Reports
India’s Long Absence from Pakistani Soil
India last toured Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup, where they reached the final but were defeated by Sri Lanka. Following a tragic attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009, Pakistan was forced to host their home matches in the UAE. Since then, major international teams have resumed touring Pakistan, with India remaining a notable exception due to ongoing political tensions.
With neither side backing down, the prospect of an India-Pakistan face-off at the Champions Trophy hangs in the balance, and Miandad’s comments add fuel to the ongoing debate on one of cricket’s most intense rivalries.