The International Cricket Council (ICC) is getting ready to take a final call on the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which Pakistan is scheduled to host.
But the fate of the tournament hangs in the balance as India has stuck to its stance of not playing in Pakistan, given the tense bilateral relationship. The ICC’s executive board will meet virtually on November 29 to discuss the scheduling and venue deadlock.
The finalization of the schedule has been delayed due to India’s insistence on a ‘hybrid’ model, wherein the matches involving India will be played in a neutral venue, likely the UAE. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is facing a lot of opposition within the ICC board as most members of the board are keen to settle this to ensure India’s participation.
An ICC spokesperson confirmed the meeting, saying, “The ICC board will meet on November 29 to discuss the Champions Trophy schedule.” According to reports, PCB may be convinced to accept the hybrid model as a Champions Trophy without India could result in significant financial losses for the ICC and the cricketing ecosystem.
A similar hybrid model was used for the 2023 Asia Cup where India’s matches were held in Sri Lanka while Pakistan played other matches. The PCB is expected to receive financial benefits along with the hosting fee of $70 million for accepting this hybrid model.
This would come days before BCCI secretary Jay Shah takes up his position as ICC chairman on December 1. PCB hints at retaliatory measures, potentially boycotting future ICC events in India, such as the Women’s World Cup and the Asia Cup, should their demands not be met.