BCCI and PCB came in conclusion with the ICC for a 'hybrid model' Champions Trophy 2025 as India refused to travel to Pakistan for their matches. However, Men in Blue captain Rohit Sharma is likely to visit the neighbor country for the tournament's opening ceremony in Lahore. As per IANS, Pakistan Cricket Board is planning to host an opening ceremony at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on February 16 or 17, just before the inaugural clash between defending champions Pakistan and New Zealand.
As per the tradition followed in ICC events, all team captains are expected to attend the opening ceremony. This means Rohit might be traveling to Pakistan for the first time in nearly 17 years.
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"Indian Team captain will visit Pakistan to attend the opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy as PCB plans a grand event, marking the return of a mega international cricket event to Pakistan after 29 years," sources told the IANS.
Rohit was part of the Indian team that finished as runners-up in the 2008 Asia Cup held in Pakistan, where they lost the final to Sri Lanka at Karachi’s National Stadium. That tournament marked the last time the Indian team toured Pakistan, as ongoing security concerns and political tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have restricted their encounters to ICC and Asian events.
India also declined to visit Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup, which was originally set to be hosted there. This decision led to the tournament being played under a 'Hybrid Model,' with most matches shifted to Sri Lanka.
The upcoming Champions Trophy will be the first ICC event hosted in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup. During that tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the final was held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
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