'There's Geopolitics': ECB's Jaw-Dropping Take On India Not Visiting Pakistan For Champions Trophy

With less than four months remaining for the start of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is slated to he held in Pakistan , BCCI's stance on whether Team India will travel to Pakistan is still opaque. However, in the meanwhile England Cricket Board has issued a huge statement on the subject. According to ECB, Cricket would take a hit should India refrain from taking part in the ICC Champions Trophy.

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ECB's Huge Statement On BCCI's Likely Refusal to Send Team India to Pakistan

"It would not be in cricket's interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy ," Thompson, who is in Pakistan alongside ECB CEO Richard Gould, was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

The decision on whether India will tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy could come ahead of BCCI secretary Jay Shah's swearing in as the new chairman of the ICC. 

"It's interesting, with Jay Shah - the former secretary of the BCCI and now chair of the ICC - (who) is going to have a big role to play in that. There's geopolitics, and then there's cricketing geopolitics. I think they'll find a way. They have to find a way," said Thompson.

ECB CEO Gould added: "If you play the Champions Trophy without India, or Pakistan , the broadcast rights aren't there, and we need to protect them.

"They ( Pakistan ) are the host nation. We've seen the developments going on, and we're all waiting to understand whether India are going to travel. That's the key.

"We think there are some discussions and relationships where they need to be. I know Pakistan are expecting India to travel. There are lots of different alternatives and contingencies available if that doesn't happen." India and Pakistan play each other in multi team events like the World Cup and Asia Cup .

"There are always security concerns in this part of the world when those two countries play each other. That will probably drive the key decisions. But I know relationships between the two countries are as amicable as they can be at the moment: we saw it play out at the (men's T20) World Cup in New York," said Thompson.

Though, cricket has resumed some operations in Pakistan , the country last featured as a host for an ICC tournament back in 1996.

Thompson expects BCCI to take the call on India's participation in the 11th hour.

"That's between India and Pakistan , and I think they will find a way where India will participate in the Champions Trophy … These things tend to go to the wire, as history has shown us, so I think that in those [last] six months, they'll find a way," he said.

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Agreement Between Foreign Ministers

Meanwhile, another development has come to the fore.

Foreign ministers of Pakistan and India agreed to resume cricket between Pakistan and India.

Sources said, MEA S. Jaishankar assured Pakistan's foreign minister that he would speak to the Indian government to send the Indian cricket team to play the champions trophy in Pakistan .