India has decided against traveling to Pakistan for the 2024 Champions Trophy due to security concerns. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of its decision and requested that all Indian matches be held in Dubai instead.
Despite recent diplomatic talks, India has not changed its stance on security in Pakistan. This decision follows a meeting between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad. This marked the first high-level conversation between the countries since 2015, sparking hopes for better relations, including in cricket. However, India’s security concerns remain.
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A source familiar with the situation stated, “This has been our stance, and there is no reason to change that. We have asked them to shift our games to Dubai.”
The Champions Trophy is scheduled from February 19 to March 9, with Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi as host cities. India, however, is consulting its government on security matters.
India’s decision mirrors last year’s Asia Cup, when it opted to play its matches in Sri Lanka despite Pakistan’s pressure. The PCB had even offered to let India return home after each match, but the BCCI stood firm.
While Pakistan recently hosted teams like England and Bangladesh, India last visited Pakistan during the 2008 Asia Cup. The ongoing stalemate between the boards leaves the future of cricket relations uncertain.
