Ever since Pakistan were awarded the right to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a lot has been said and writted about India’s participation in the marquee event. Recent reports have claimed that the Indian cricket team is unlikely to get clearance from the goverment to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. This has raised major doubts over India’s participation in the tournament. For the unversed, India did not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2023, and their matches were played in Sri Lanka under the hybrid model.

Similarly, some reports have also claimed that the BCCI will raise the same issue with the ICC at the upcoming general meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

However, BCCI vice president Rajiv Shukla denied all the rumours that claimed that India are unlikely to travel to Pakistan, adding that the BCCI is yet to do a discussion on the same.

Amid the ongoing debate, an old video of former India spinner Harbhajan Singh schooling a Pakistani TV presenter has resurfaced.

Last year, Harbhajan made an appearance on Pakistan’s ARY News where he had a heated discussion with the host of the show, Wasim Badami.

“If our players are not safe in Pakistan, we won’t send the team. If you want to play, play; if not, don’t. Indian cricket can still survive without Pakistan. If you guys can survive without Indian cricket, then do it,” Harbhajan had said.

On the contorary, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt recently claimed its their right to host the Champions Trophy, adding that India must travel to the country just like the rest of the participating teams.

Butt also highlighted how India’s kabaddi and tennis teams have played tournaments in Pakistan in recent times, saying that the Indian government cannot pick and choose.

“Pakistan have got the rights to host the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and it should be held in Pakistan. Like all the other teams, India should also come to Pakistan. Pakistan went to India for the World Cup, so India should also do the same. A lot of things have been said about the relations between the two countries, but India’s kabaddi and tennis teams have visited the same Pakistan. Either you cut off completely, or you try to be normal everywhere. You can’t pick and choose, which they have been doing,” Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel.

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