Following India's record-breaking third ICC Champions Trophy title win, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was quizzed about why Men in Blue didn't travel to Pakistan for the eight-team tournament. Hardik Pandya, who played an instrumental role in India's Champions Trophy title triumph, came up with a measured response to the controversy surrounding the team's refusal to travel to Pakistan. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the final to lift the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on March 9.
Many former players and cricket pundits blamed India of undue venue advantage which benifited them as they played on just one venue unlike other teams.
Hardik Pandya on why India refused to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy
While India played all their matches in Dubai, other participating teams faced the logistical challenge of traveling between various locations within Pakistan. Some teams were even required to travel to the UAE, adding further complexity to their schedules. This situation stemmed from the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision not to send the Indian team to Pakistan, the tournament's host nation, citing ongoing political tensions and security concerns.
Consequently, the International Cricket Council (ICC) implemented a hybrid model, scheduling all of India's matches for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai. Following India's exciting title victory in Dubai, Hardik Pandya was questioned about this arrangement. Instead of engaging in potentially inflammatory rhetoric, he skillfully dealt with the question, avoiding any contribution to the existing controversy.
Hardik, when questioned about the team's absence from Pakistan, said that he was not the appropriate individual to provide an explanation for the decision. He asserted that the rationale behind the Indian team's choice not to travel for the mega-event was beyond his purview. However, he did offer a lighthearted observation, suggesting that Pakistani fans residing in Dubai must have thoroughly enjoyed India's successful and dominant performance throughout the tournament.
“I am sure Pakistani people living in Dubai must have enjoyed our performance. The question of why we didn’t go is way above my pay grade,” Hardik told reporters said after the match.
Hardik chipped in with crucial contribution to India's successful campaign at the Champions Trophy, be it bat or bowl. He might have scored 99 runs and took four wickets across five match, but is the happiest man to be contributing to the Indian team's Champions Trophy glory.
“I have always played cricket to win. This is not just a dialogue. I have always put the team above myself. It doesn’t matter if Hardik Pandya does well or not, but the team must do well. This mindset has helped me face hardships and taught me not to run away from challenges. If challenges are tough, throw punches. Keep fighting. Don’t leave the battlefield. If you don’t, you will never understand the outcome,” he added.
Hardik further mentioned that India have finally avenged the Champions Trophy 2017 final defeat against Pakistan.
“Now that we have won, I can say that I have avenged that 2017 final loss. But eight years is a long time; a lot has happened. For me, India’s win is important. Fans back home are happy; this is the best we can offer from our side,” Hardik concluded.