Champions Trophy: PCB suggests this venue as India's home base

Rohit Sharma and Co. (Pic: File Pic)

The Pakistan Cricket Board has suggested Lahore as Team India's home base during the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. The board further also stated to ensure the best security arrangements for their neighbours.

A reliable source in the PCB said that this suggestion has been made in the draft schedule of the event sent to the ICC in late April. "Yes Lahore has been suggested as the home base for the Indian team to reduce their travelling and to provide them with the best security arrangements," the source said.

Last year, India refused to play the Asia Cup in Pakistan because of security reasons, following which the games were moved to Sri Lanka. The PCB is due to host the major ICC 50-over event tentatively between February 19 to March 9 next year.

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The International Cricket Council is yet to approve the draft schedule sent to them by Pakistan Cricket Board. The PCB has also kept Karachi and Rawalpindi as other venues to host the Champions Trophy.

This is the first time since 1996 that Pakistan will be hosting any major ICC event although it did host the entire Asia Cup in 2008 and also some games of the same event last year.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is yet to confirm whether it will send Team India to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has indicated that a major overhaul is on the cards for the Pakistan team following their six-run loss to India in the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York on Sunday.

He also said that all three stadiums in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi will be upgraded ahead of the Champions Trophy. The PCB is also going to host the Pakistan Super League in April 2025 due to the Champions Trophy and a tri-series it plans to host before the ICC event with South Africa and New Zealand being the other participating sides.

(With PTI Inputs)