When asked about the team’s decision not to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya responded cheekily.
The question arose during the post-match news conference following India’s exciting four-wicket triumph against New Zealand in the Sunday final. A Pakistani writer asked Pandya about India’s decision to host all of its games in the UAE instead of Pakistan, the official host of the event.
Pandya said, “It’s excellent. Although the people of Pakistan wanted us to perform there, it was not possible. Every Pakistani living in Dubai surely had fun watching the game. Regarding the reasons the Indian squad skipped Pakistan, I believe those go above my pay level.
Delivered with a smile, his sharp comment sent the crowd laughing and soon went viral on social media.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) citing security issues and political tensions guides India’s choice. This led to a hybrid paradigm whereby India competed in Dubai while other nations battled in Pakistan.
This reflected the plan for the Asia Cup in 2023, whereby Pakistan kept hosting rights but India’s games took place in Sri Lanka. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has declared meantime that it will play in a neutral venue instead of sending its squad to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
It is relevant to note that on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium India defeated New Zealand by four wickets to raise the Champions Trophy 2025 championship. Lead by a match-winning half-century from captain Rohit Sharma, India effectively pursued a goal of 252 runs with six wickets and six balls to spare in the final.
New Zealand battled to compile a competitive total earlier, achieving 251 runs from Daryl Mitchell’s brave half-century. For the uninitiated, this was India’s third Champions Trophy title; prior to winning the esteemed competition in 2002 and 2013.
