Cricket Enthusiasts Eagerly Await Champions Trophy 2025
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram expresses his optimism about India’s participation in the much-anticipated Champions Trophy 2025.
Akram believes that if India decides to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, they will be “looked after amazingly well.” He cites the immense popularity of Indian cricketers like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav among Pakistani fans, stating that “the young cricket fans adore them.“
“If India decides to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, they will be looked after amazingly well.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) remains determined to host the entire Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, with plans to have all of India’s matches take place in Lahore, which is close to the Indian border. The PCB has even proposed to grant about 17,000 visas to Indian fans who wish to follow their team. The final, as well as any semi-final involving India, if they qualify, will be held in Lahore.
Akram is hopeful that India’s participation in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan will be a great opportunity for people-to-people contact and help reduce the “unnecessary negativity” prevalent in the world, particularly in the age of social media.
India has not played an international match in Pakistan since 2008, with the UAE being the likeliest alternate venue should any part of the Champions Trophy be moved out. The BCCI did not send a team to Pakistan last year for the Asia Cup, leading to the tournament being shifted to a hybrid model with the latter stages played in Sri Lanka.
However, Pakistan did travel to India right after that for the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they missed out on a semi-final spot.
The Champions Trophy 2025 will feature eight teams, divided into two groups of four, followed by semi-finals and a final. The competing teams are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa.
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