Pakistan superstar Virat Kohli issues warning to BCCI over Champions Trophy travel dispute

Pakistan’s right to host the ICC Champions Trophy has raised doubts about India’s willingness to travel to the country. Bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan has been suspended since 2013 due to political differences between the two neighboring countries. If reports are true, it is unlikely that the BCCI will get travel permission from the Indian government to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. However, Pakistan’s recent visit to India for the 2023 50-over World Cup has sparked discussions about a possible return to India.

As per the arrangement of the first Champions Trophy, Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host all the matches of the Indian team, including the match against Pakistan.

There are also talks that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come up with a hybrid format similar to the one India adopted when it hosted the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka last year.

Amid the ongoing controversy, former captain Younis Khan India urged to travel to Pakistan as it is ‘only’ left among star batsmen Virat Kohlicareer.

“Virat Kohli should come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. That is also our wish. He should come to Pakistan to perform. I think the only thing left in Virat’s career is to tour Pakistan,” Younis Khan said News 24.

India last played a bilateral series against Pakistan in 2006, two years before Kohli made his international debut.

Although the 35-year-old played in the series against Pakistan when the team visited India for a limited-overs tour in December 2012, Kohli is yet to play a Test match against Pakistan.

According to recent reports, the PCB has given the task of convincing the BCCI to send its team to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

According to PCB sources, while the budget for the Champions Trophy has been approved at the recent ICC meeting in Colombo, the schedule and format were not discussed.

“The PCB has now fulfilled its due responsibilities as the organiser of the Champions Trophy. It has submitted the schedule and draft format of the tournament and also submitted the budget for the tournament,” said a PCB insider.

“It is now up to the International Cricket Council to decide when to release, discuss and finalise the Champions Trophy schedule. The Cricket Council while drafting the schedule had suggested hosting all India’s matches in Lahore, including the semi-finals (if India qualify) and the final,” he said.