Rashid Latif urges PCB to boycott Champions Trophy 2025

The future of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, set to be hosted by Pakistan, remains uncertain as India has refused to travel to the country over security concerns.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Rashid Latif has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to boycott the tournament before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) makes a similar move.

Speaking at an event, Latif criticized the ICC and regional cricket boards for their inability to challenge the BCCI’s stance. "Pakistan should boycott the Champions Trophy now. Before the BCCI takes this step, PCB should take it," Latif stated, as reported by Times of India.

He also expressed frustration over Pakistan being repeatedly sidelined in global cricket affairs, adding, "We have always been made scapegoats, whether in the Afghan war or cricket."

The PCB had reportedly agreed to a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, under which matches would be split between Pakistan and a neutral venue, but only if the ICC applied the same model for global tournaments in India until 2031.

However, the BCCI rejected this condition, citing that India faces no security threats.

A report in The Telegraph quoted BCCI sources saying, “There is no security threat in India and hence no question of accepting such an arrangement.”

An ICC meeting scheduled for December 7 to discuss the fate of the tournament was postponed, leaving the matter unresolved.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012, limiting their encounters to ICC and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events.

India last toured Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup, while Pakistan’s most recent visit to India was for the 2023 ODI World Cup.