Should India Travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy? Harbhajan Singh Weighs In

Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has voiced strong opposition to Team India traveling to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, citing ongoing security concerns in the region. Singh supports the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in seeking government approval before confirming participation in the tournament. He emphasized that player safety should be the top priority, given the volatile situation in Pakistan.

“The safety of our players is paramount. Pakistan’s current security situation is unstable, with incidents occurring frequently. I fully support the BCCI’s cautious approach,” Singh told IANS.

In contrast, Pakistan has assured that all of India’s matches will be held in Lahore, with the team staying in a single, secure hotel throughout the tournament. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also announced plans to build a new 5-star hotel adjacent to the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium to ensure maximum security and convenience for the visiting teams.

Despite these assurances, India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan remains, as seen when the Indian team did not visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup last year, with the matches being shifted to Sri Lanka.

Bilateral cricket between the two nations has been suspended since 2012, with encounters limited to ICC or ACC events due to political tensions.