Team India skipper Rohit Sharma is all set to visit Pakistan despite tensions between the two nations. Pakistan is set to host the ICC Champions Trophy in Hybrid model with UAE being Team India's venue for the tournament. While India will be playing their matches in UAE, IANS has reported that Rohit will be travelling across the border to take part in the opening ceremony.
The report further states that PCB is eyeing to conduct a grand opening ceremony, tentatively scheduled to be held on February 16 or 17, and all the team captains are to be present, as is the standard practice in all ICC events.
The last time the Indian team visited Pakistan was in 2008 for the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka which they lost by 100 runs. The last time the Men in Blue played a match in Pakistan was also in the same tournament during the Super Four Stage, where India suffered a defeat by 8 wickets.
About Champions Trophy 2025
The ICC Champions Trophy returns after eight year hiatus and Pakistan will play host to the event. The event is also special for Pakistan since they will be hosting an ICC event for the first time since the 1996 World Cup.
The tournament will be played in Hybrid model with eight teams divided into two groups. India and Pakistan, along with Bangladesh and New Zealand, are in Group A of the Champions Trophy, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.
Pakistan will enter the competition as the defending champions, having won the last tournament by beating India in the 2017 final. The host nation will play all their matches on their own ground. India on the other hand will play their fixtures in Dubai after BCCI failed to get clearance from the Indian government to travel to the neighbouring country amid the long-standing political tension.
