Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Mohammad Rizwan, has extended an open invitation to the Indian cricket team regarding the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Talking on the topic, Rizwan drove home the point that it is a decision strictly left up to the Pakistan Cricket Board, but the players would be given a warm welcome if they are planning to come.
Rizwan speaking on uncertainty surrounding the tournament said:
“It’s up to the PCB, if the Indian team, including the players like KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav, come to Pakistan, we’ll welcome them wholeheartedly.”
The Champions Trophy still hangs in the balance due to the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) reluctance to send its team to Pakistan. Rizwan commented on the Champions Trophy, hoping things would turn positive but admitting that diplomatic and administrative decisions are beyond their control.
A little earlier, a fan in South Africa asked Suryakumar Yadav about India’s naivety about touring Pakistan. He replied rather diplomatically, “It’s not in our hands.” This geopolitical tension gripping cricketing ties between the two nations has infused a further sourness.
The PCB then sought clarification from the ICC on this matter given the BCCI’s stated position. Rizwan discusses the Champions Trophy as the PCB requests transparency from the ICC, asking for a photocopy of BCCI’s formal communication that can explain why it is refusing the invitation. PCB also wants to know how ICC intends to resolve this deadlock.
For Pakistan, the Champions Trophy is an eight-team event, and it comes at a crucial time as hosts. In an interview with Champions Trophy, Rizwan puts on a positive face even as the issues linger. He also hopes that “mutually agreeable decisions” are made that allow the tournament to go ahead as scheduled, doing nothing to affect regional cricketing bonhomie.
