‘Keep politics away from cricket’ – Shahid Afridi’s tells BCCI following reports of India not travelling to Pakistan for Champions Trophy | Sporting News India

The ICC Champions Trophy is set to mark its return in 2025 after an absence for eight years. The last time the Champions Trophy tournament was held was in 2017, wherein Pakistan defeated arch-rivals India in the final of the competition to lift the cup. 

The returning edition of the tournament will now be hosted by the defending champions in Pakistan in February 2025. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, England and India are the qualified nations for the tournament, courtesy of their rankings in the ODI World Cup 2023, excluding the hosts, Pakistan. 

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However, there have been speculations of India not playing in the tournament. The political tensions between the two nations are very high right now, prompting reports that stated the BCCI won’t let the team travel to the neighbouring country. 

BCCI have been adamant over not travelling to Pakistan amidst the strained political relations between the two sides and are speculated to request the ICC to relocate the tournament to a different nation, preferably Dubai or Sri Lanka. 

Former Pakistani skipper, Shahid Afridi has lashed out at the BCCI and the Indian government over the whole scenario, stating his displeasure in a recent interview.

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What did Shahid Afridi say about the BCCI’s decision?

In a recent interview, Afirdi has urged the BCCI to keep politics away from cricket or any sports for that matter. 

Why do you involve politics in sports over and over again? Let it be cricket or any other sports. Please keep such things away from sports. We have seen in the past, we have had a strong relation with India through cricket and sports. 

It has been 16 years now since the Indian cricket team last competed in Pakistan. The last game between the two sides was an Asia Cup game in 2008. India won that game comfortably by six wickets with opener Virender Sehwag scoring a blistering century. 

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