Shahid Afridi has broken his silence on India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The former Pakistan captain has asked Pakistan to take a strong stance and opined that there is no reason for Pakistan to travel to India for any event. The Pakistan cricket team travelled to India for the 2023 World Cup. They didn't land in the country for the 2018 Asia Cup and it was played in a hybrid model. In 2016, Afridi-led Pakistan landed in India for the T20 World Cup.

"Pakistan cricket should be strong and self-sufficient and take strong principled decisions. If India can't come and play in Pakistan then there is no reason for us to go and play any event in India. Even the ICC now has to decide whether its responsibility is to ensure every member nation gets to play cricket or it just wants to make money," Afridi said in a press conference.

While ICC has yet to deliver an official word on the venues, it is all but confirmed that the tournament will be played in a hybrid model. India will play their matches outside of Pakistan.

The semi-final and the final (should India qualify) will also be played outside of Pakistan. The ICC is expected to confirm the venues for the ICC event soon. Pakistan will remain the host of the Champions Trophy and will host matches which do not involve India.

The much-awaited ICC event will be played in February-March. Pakistan will enter the tournament as the defending champions. Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Pakistan defeated Virat Kohli's India in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy to win the title.

India had entered the 2017 CT as the defending champions. MS Dhoni-led India defeated hosts England in the 2013 Champions Trophy final to become two-time champions. India shared the 2002 Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka after both finals were washed out.

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