Champions Trophy 2025 Without India Not An Option, Says Top ECB Officials
Top officials of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), including chairman Richard Thompson, have suggested that staging the Champions Trophy without powerhouse India is not an option and there are "contingencies available" if Rohit Sharma's team doesn't travel to host country Pakistan. India have not played in Pakistan since 2008 due to the tense relations between the two countries and their travel to the South Asian nation is solely dependent on government clearance. With the government unlikely to give the BCCI permission to send the team to Lahore, the Champions Trophy in a hybrid model seems the most likely option. Like the Asia Cup last year, India can play their matches in a third country while the other games can be staged in Pakistan.
