India decline to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy, says ICC

The International Cricket Council (ICC) informed Pakistan that India has declined to play any Champions Trophy games in the country next year, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson confirmed on Sunday.

"We have received an e-mail from the ICC in which they have said that India will not be coming to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy,” the PCB spokesperson said.

Pakistan is scheduled to host the Champions Trophy tournament Feb.19-March 9.  The PCB has forwarded the ICC's e-mail to the government of Pakistan for further advice.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said last Friday that he was not prepared to accept a shared hosting model and added that "no discussion” of any such proposal has taken place.

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all of India's games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid hosting model for the tournament. Several months later Pakistan traveled to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions between the countries have led to the India team avoiding travel to Pakistan since 2008 and the two have tended to only compete together in multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups. Pakistan also traveled to India in 2012 for a bilateral ODI series.

The PCB has spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi that are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi said that he hoped all three stadiums will be ready in the next two months.

Eight countries - Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan - are due to compete in the tournament though the schedule is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

Associated Press