[Source: BBC]
India has informed the International Cricket Council it will not travel to the Champions Trophy, according to hosts Pakistan.
Ongoing political tensions mean the two countries have not played each other outside of men’s major tournaments since 2013, while India has not played in Pakistan for 16 years.
Pakistan is due to host a global event for the first time since 1996 in February and March next year, the eight-team, 50-over Champions Trophy.
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But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the Board of Control for Cricket in India has told the ICC the Indian team will not cross the border.
The tournament is due to begin in one hundred days, on 19 February. A schedule is still to be confirmed by the ICC.
The ICC has not responded directly to the PCB statement but is in discussions with Pakistan and the other seven competing nations over a schedule. The BCCI has been asked for a response.
One possible solution would be for a ‘hybrid’ staging of the tournament, with India playing its matches outside of Pakistan, possibly in the United Arab Emirates. A similar model was employed when Pakistan staged last year’s Asia Cup.
However, this throws up the possibility of uncertainty over where knockout matches would be played if India progressed to the semi-finals.
And, on Friday, chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the PCB is not prepared to accept a hybrid solution.
Pakistan traveled to India to play in the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2023 50-over World Cup.
Last month, any suggestion that the tournament could take place without India was dismissed by England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould.
Pakistan did not host any international cricket between 2009 and 2015 after gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team 15 years ago.
Former England assistant coach Paul Farbrace was part of the Sri Lanka staff and told BBC Sports Pakistan “deserves to host international cricket”.
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