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No Champions Trophy Without India! England Cricket Board Stands With BCCI's Decision

ECB supports BCCI [Source: @HitmanCricket/X.Com] ECB supports BCCI [Source: @HitmanCricket/X.Com]


Hardly 4 months are left for the Champions Trophy 2025 and we are yet to decide on the venue for the mega event. Till date, Pakistan have the hosting rights but will they be the hosts come February?.

While PCB head, Mohsin Naqvi stands firm on his decision to host the entire event in Pakistan, things are not in his hands as even ICC is unsure about the host of the mega tournament. A couple of months ago, ICC allocated extra funds, in case the event was shifted in a different country.

Champions Trophy hangs in jeopardy

India is the superpower in cricket and BCCI is the richest cricketing board, and without them, no ICC event can attract viewership. If India doesn't play in the Champions Trophy, sponsors will pull out, which will generate heavy loss for the ICC, something which they cannot take.

Pakistan demand that if India won't travel to their nation, the event should be conducted without them, but this won't be a feasible option and even other cricketing boards know it. Recently, England Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive and chair, Richard Gould and Richard Thompson spoke about the dilemma surrounding the Champions Trophy and lend their full support to the BCCI.

"It wouldn't be in cricket's interests if India doesn't play Champions Trophy. I know Pakistan are expecting India to travel, but there are lots of different alternatives and contingencies available," as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"If you play the Champions Trophy without India, or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren't there, and we need to protect them," Gould said.

The strained relation between India and Pakistan

India have not travelled to Pakistan for any form of cricket since 2008. The last time any bilateral series took place between India and Pakistan dates way back to 2012, and since then, the two teams have only faced each other in ICC events.

The BCCI did not send its team to Pakistan last year for the Men's Asia Cup, and as a result, the tournament was hosted in a hybrid model, something which has been proposed for the Champions Trophy as well.

Interestingly, Pakistan travelled to India last year for the 50-over World Cup, but the BCCI is not interested in sending the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.