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Former spinner Harbhajan Singh reaffirmed his stance by stating that he doesn't "expect" that the Indian team will travel to Pakistan for next year's ICC Champions Trophy. The future of the ICC Champions Trophy has been covered in a veil of uncertainty after India held firm on its stance to not send the men's cricket team to Pakistan. On the other hand, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been persistent about not switching to a hybrid model and hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan.
Harbhajan backed India's stance of not sending the team to Pakistan for the marquee event and told ANI, "I have said this before. I don't think Team India will travel to Pakistan."
"I don't think the situation is suited to go there and play. People in Pakistan love cricket and the Indian team. But considering the situation, I don't think Team India will travel. Governments are involved, and they are making the decisions," Harbhajan added.
Last Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal cited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) statement, which stated that because of the "security concerns" in Pakistan, it is unlikely that the Indian team will cross the border to play the marquee event in Pakistan."
"The BCCI has issued a statement. They have said that there are security concerns there, and therefore, it is unlikely that the team will be going there," Randhir Jaiswal said.
On the same day, the International Cricket Council (ICC) called a meeting to decide the future of the tournament. Various reports and developments started to surface revealing the future of the Champions Trophy.
In the latest development, on Sunday, sources told Geo News a new formula has been formed by which India would play all their ICC matches, which are supposed to be played in Pakistan, in Dubai.
Along with this, Pakistan will also play their matches in Dubai, which are scheduled to be played in India. According to Geo News, this formula will be applicable for the next three years, starting from the Champions Trophy 2025.