Indian media advises Blue Shirts to visit Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025

Indian media has advised its national team to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in February and March 2025.

Renowned publication Times of India published an editorial, titled Be a sport, today (July 19).

In the article, the publication said India should visit Pakistan to promote sports-related activities and ease tensions between the neighbouring countries.

"India has not played any cricket in Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008 – mixing sports and geopolitics has little traction beyond a point. It’s nobody’s case that Team India travelling to Pakistan will dramatically change New Delhi-Islamabad relations. But that’s not the point. Sports should always be separate from politics," TOI's editorial read.

"Team India should tour Pakistan provided it is given iron-clad, high-level security," it added.

Earlier, Indian media reported that Blue Shirts will not travel to Pakistan for the mega event.

India's matches are currently scheduled to be held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already shared the schedule for the mega event with the International Cricket Council (ICC), which includes a highly anticipated match between Pakistan and India on March 1st at Gaddafi Stadium. 

However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not confirmed or denied its country's participation in the tournament.