No India-Pakistan T20I series proposed in ICC meet, PCB focused on hosting 2024 Champions Trophy: Report

There were rumours of the PCB considering inviting India to a T20I series on neutral ground at the ICC Annual Conference in Colombo

There were reportedly no proposals at the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Annual Conference in Colombo for a bilateral T20I series between India and Pakistan on neutral ground. There were rumours of Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi planning to invite India to a series in 2025 at the meet in Colombo while looking to ensure that no 2025 Champions Trophy game is held outside the country, with there being uncertainty on whether India will be ready to send a team to Pakistan.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2013. (PTI)

According to PTI, the PCB has denied the existence of a proposal for any such series and is entirely focused on organising the Champions Trophy in “a befitting manner”. The PTI further reports that the PCB source mentioned Pakistan already having a busy international schedule, meaning it could be difficult to fit in a series against India.

“There is no such proposal on the table or under consideration because right now the biggest challenge for us is to organise the Champions Trophy in a befitting manner and we also have a packed international schedule,” PTI quotes the source as saying.

No mention of Champions Trophy in Annual Conference

There was no mention of the Champions Trophy in the ICC's official statement on the conference. Cricket's global governing body said that it has put USA Cricket formally under notice and given it "12 months to rectify their current non-compliance with the ICC Membership Criteria". The tournament is scheduled to be held in Pakistan from February 19. India are slated to face Pakistan in Lahore on March 1.

However, it is reported that the BCCI is unlikely to send the team to the country and could propose a hybrid model like what was used for the 2023 Asia Cup. While the tournament was initially scheduled to be held entirely in Pakistan, it was changed to a hybrid hosting arrangement between Pakistan and Sri Lanka with India playing their matches in the latter country.