Ahead of next month’s ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE, doubts have emerged over Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s participation in the tournament’s captains’ meeting before the event.
According to Cricinfo, it is yet to be decided whether Sharma will travel to Pakistan to attend the event before the official start of the tournament.
The Captain’s Event is traditionally held in the host country before any ICC tournament, bringing together the captains of all participating teams.
This year, the event is scheduled to be held in Karachi on February 16 or 17, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to confirm its stance on Sharma’s attendance.
Newly appointed BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia told Cricinfo that no decision has been taken on whether Sharma will travel to Pakistan or not and it is yet to be added to the agenda.
It also remains unclear whether the BCCI will need permission from the Indian government to send Sharma to Pakistan.
There has been no recent example of an Indian player officially visiting Pakistan, but BCCI officials have made the trip in 2023.
Roger Binny and Rajeev Shukla, BCCI President and Vice President, were invited to Lahore to attend an official dinner by the PCB during the Asia Cup, marking a rare instance of high-ranking Indian officials visiting Pakistan.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally asked the ICC to ensure that all participating teams and their captains participate in the usual pre-tournament events, including the photo session and the opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy.
The ICC is currently working out the logistics and travel schedules for the teams.
Notably, ahead of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, which was hosted by the West Indies and USA, the ICC opted for an unconventional approach and skipped the usual leaders’ event.
Instead, they kicked off the tournament with a projection of all 20 team captains at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
For the upcoming Champions Cup, teams are expected to be given the option of playing two single matches, depending on when they reach the tournament.
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will begin on February 19, with matches in three Pakistani cities – Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi – and Dubai in the UAE.
All of India’s group stage matches will be played in Dubai. The semi-finals are also scheduled to be played in Dubai, and if India reach the final, they will be played there instead of Lahore.
Due to ongoing political tensions, India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral series since 2012. The last time India toured Pakistan was in the 2008 Asia Cup.