The reverberations of the standoff between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the 2025 Champions Trophy seems to have reached South Africa where India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has had to field questions about it from fans. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had earlier informed the PCB that India won't be travelling to Pakistan to play the 2025 Champions Trophy and it has since even been reported that Pakistan could pull out of the tournament altogether.
Suryakumar is in South Africa leading India in their four-match T20 series against South Africa. In a video shared on Instagram, Suryakumar can be seen posing with a few fans. Before the video ends, one fan can be heard asking: Mujhe ek baat bata saktein hai ke Pakistan kyu nahi aa rahe aap (Tell me why are you not coming to Pakistan)?"
Suryakumar can be heard replying that the decision is not in the players' hands. "Arrey bhaiya, hamare hath mein thodi hai (Brother, it is not in our hands)," he says. Suryakumar's teammate Rinku Singh can also be seen behind him. The Indian T20 team reached Centurion on Monday for the third T20I of the series that is tied 1-1. India had won the first match in Durban by 61 runs and then lost the second in Gqeberha by three wickets. The defeat marked the end of India's winning streak in the format at 11.
The Champions Trophy standoff
PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has already stated that Pakistan won't accept the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy. If the hybrid model was accepted, then India would have played their matches at a neutral venue.
{{/usCountry}}PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has already stated that Pakistan won't accept the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy. If the hybrid model was accepted, then India would have played their matches at a neutral venue.
{{/usCountry}}However, a report in Dawn.com states that the government of Pakistan is thinking of asking PCB to withdraw from the Champions Trophy. "In such a case, one of the options the government is mulling is that of asking the PCB to ensure Pakistan don’t participate in the Champions Trophy," Dawn quoted a source as saying. The report also added that the federal government of Pakistan is looking at the issue very "seriously."