Indian star excited to play Champions Trophy in Pakistan

WEB DESK: India’s wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has expressed his excitement over the possibility of playing in Pakistan during the Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to take place in Pakistan.

The tournament is set for early next year, but India’s participation is still up in the air as the BCCI is awaiting government approval for the team to travel to Pakistan.

Speaking at an event in Australia, the 29-year-old Yadav expressed his eagerness to play in Pakistan if given the opportunity. “As cricketers, we’ll play wherever we’re asked. I’ve never been to Pakistan before, so I’m really excited about it. The Pakistani people are fantastic, and if we get the chance, we’ll definitely go and play there,” Yadav said.

The Champions Trophy matches are planned to be held across three venues: Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. According to the PCB’s proposed schedule to the ICC, all of India’s matches would be played in Lahore.

To prepare for the event, the PCB has earmarked Rs12.80 billion for upgrading three stadiums: Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Karachi’s National Bank Cricket Arena, and Rawalpindi International Cricket Stadium.

All seven other teams participating in the tournament have previously played in Pakistan, and the PCB is confident that India does not have a strong reason to skip the event.

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The Champions Trophy, which last took place in 2017 with Pakistan defeating India in the final, will make its return after an eight-year break. The tournament is scheduled to run from February 19 to March 9, 2025.