Pakistan to boycott 2026 T20 World Cup if India refuses to travel for 2025 Champions Trophy – Reports

Pakistan is scheduled to host the 2025 edition of the ICC Champions Trophy. According to reports, the tournament will begin on February 19 in Karachi and the final of the eight-team tournament will be played in Lahore on March 9. However, there is a high possibility that India will not travel to Pakistan due to the political relations between the two countries and the matches will be shifted to Dubai.

Following reports of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Geo News Urdu reported that Pakistan has threatened to boycott the 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup, being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, if India does not travel to Pakistan next year.

In a report released on Sunday (July 14), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not deviate from its position of holding all Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, and the board will maintain the same stance during the ICC meeting in Sri Lanka next week. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is expected to attend the ICC meeting scheduled for Colombo from July 19 to 22.

Sources say that Pakistan will not deviate from its position of hosting all Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan but will retain the position of ‘Pakistani event in Pakistan’.

According to sources, all the Champions Trophy teams except India have played in Pakistan and India’s position to not come to Pakistan is weak. If India still refuses to travel, Pakistan will also not go to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

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India last travelled to Pakistan in July 2008 to participate in the Asia Cup. In the last 16 years, Pakistan has travelled to India once for the bilateral series (in 2012-13) and twice for the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Last year, India was also supposed to travel to Pakistan to participate in the 2023 Asian Cup, but that did not happen. Subsequently, India’s matches were shifted to Sri Lanka.

India last travelled to Pakistan in July 2008 to participate in the Asia Cup. In the last 16 years, Pakistan has travelled to India once for the bilateral series (in 2012-13) and twice for the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Last year, India was also supposed to travel to Pakistan to participate in the 2023 Asian Cup, but that did not happen. Subsequently, India’s matches were shifted to Sri Lanka.