The eight ICC Champions Trophy teams are gearing up for the return of the tournament after an eight-year hiatus, with defending champions Pakistan acting as hosts for the 2025 tournament and welcoming visiting teams for a major ICC tournament for the first time in nearly 30 years.
However, the Champions Trophy has received attention over the last few months for reasons beyond the pitch, as the PCB and the BCCI duked it out over India’s choice to not play on Pakistan territory. A compromise was ultimately reached as India were given permission to play all their games in the UAE, but all of Pakistan’s teams would also receive the option of playing in a neutral venue in India-hosted tournaments until the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup.
The consequences of this decision will be faced by the players, with Pakistan top order batter Fakhar Zaman ruminating on how the team will miss playing on Indian soil after their experience in the 2023 World Cup.
Speaking on Sports Tak, Fakhar Zaman explained “Yes, we will definitely miss (playing in India) as we enjoyed a lot during our visit there for the ODI World Cup 2023. We were delighted with the kind of support and the hospitality we got there.”
“The locals gave us a warm welcome when we went to Hyderabad for the first time, they all showered their love on us,” continued Fakhar. “Yes, we will miss it all.”
‘We would’ve given them an even grander welcome…’
Fakhar also went on to explain that Pakistan would have enjoyed hosting India, with their great rivals not having played in Pakistan in 17 years, ready to welcome them if not for the contentions presented by the governing bodies. “If India had come to Pakistan, we would’ve given them an even grander welcome and hospitality but they are not coming. It’s fine, but we’re excited to play against them in Dubai,” concluded the batter.
Fakhar was the star of the show in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy, making the most of a reprieve after a Jasprit Bumrah no-ball to go on and score a match-winning century as Pakistan crushed India by 180 runs at Lord’s. After a hiatus, the Champions Trophy will return, but Fakhar might be out of the picture for the Pakistan team, not having played since the 2023 World Cup.
