The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is almost a month away, which Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the tournament. Although India will play all their matches in Dubai, Indian captain Rohit Sharma may still have to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. 

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India will not play in Pakistan

Pakistan has the hosting rights for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Eight teams will participate in this tournament between February 19 and March 9, 2025. These teams are Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Australia, England, South Africa, and Afghanistan. While all other teams are ready for the Pakistan tour, India ultimately refused to travel to Pakistan.

Finally, it was decided that India would play all their matches in Dubai. India are in Group A with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. 

The Final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has been scheduled for Lahore on March 9. However, if India qualify for the Final, the tournament finale will be organised in Dubai.

Why may Rohit Sharma still have to travel to Pakistan?

There is a practice for every ICC tournament, where all captains join in the photoshoot with the trophy just before the beginning of a tournament. Also, all captains then follow the press conference. 

Although there is no official confirmation yet, Pakistan has the hosting rights, so there is a chance of organising a photoshoot and press conference in Pakistan. In this case, the Indian captain Rohit Sharma may have to travel to Pakistan.

However, if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) come up with any other idea, like hosting the photoshoot and press conference in the UAE, the Indian captain doesn’t need to travel to Pakistan. 

As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) already clarified not to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the second theory is a big possibility that the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma may not need to travel to Pakistan. 

Meanwhile, the BCCI is yet to announce the probable squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.