Pakistan has the hosting rights for the tournament, which is scheduled for February and March. Although the venues have already been confirmed, a recent report stated that the ICC and PCB could be forced to conduct some games outside Pakistan.
The Telegraph reported that if India qualifies for the final, the venue could be shifted from Lahore to Dubai. This is because the Indian government has not yet given the BCCI the green light to send the Indian team to Pakistan.
India has not visited Pakistan since 2008 and has not played a bilateral series against their rivals since the 2012-13 season. With the bilateral relationship between the two countries at an all-time low due to political reasons, it wouldn’t be surprising if the BCCI fails to obtain permission from the government to send the team to Pakistan.
The news outlet also mentioned that besides India’s group games and potentially the final, one of the semifinals could also be moved outside Pakistan if India makes it to the last four. If games are shifted, they are likely to be played in the UAE.
While only time will tell the Champions Trophy’s fate, the PCB has reiterated that no games, including the tournament’s final, will be played outside Pakistan. A Geo News journalist took to X to reveal PCB’s stance on the matter, writing:
“PCB has rejected rumours regarding the final of Champions Trophy being shifted to Dubai in case the Indian Cricket Team qualifies for the final.”
He further stated that the PCB is renovating the stadiums in Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore by investing millions of rupees and is not willing to let any game take place outside the country.
The PCB was in a similar situation last year when it had the hosting rights for the Asia Cup. Even then, they were not ready to allow any game to take place outside Pakistan. They even threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup in India.
