The ICC Board is set to meet today to finalize the location and format for the 2025 Champions Trophy, less than three months before the tournament’s scheduled start.
The board will reportedly consider only three possible scenarios to find a solution to the problem which has become a headache for everyone involved:
However, the third option is almost out of the question, as it would have significant financial and commercial implications for the tournament. The likelihood of the hybrid model has also diminished as the PCB has informed the ICC that they are no longer open to this option for the upcoming Champions Trophy. A PCB official said, “The PCB has requested the ICC to present a reasonable or acceptable proposal before the board meeting.”
Earlier on Thursday, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had hinted that there was a slight shift in tone, suggesting a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy could still be possible if the ICC presented a satisfactory proposal. However, he emphasized that Pakistan would not play in India unless the situation was reconsidered.
India is scheduled to host several major tournaments over the next decade, including the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and the 2029 Champions Trophy, which poses a recurring problem for the PCB.
Naqvi suggested that any acceptance of a hybrid model would likely come with the condition that the ICC consider a similar arrangement for tournaments in India, given the challenges Pakistan faces in sending its teams there due to security concerns and government restrictions.
Regarding the possibility of Pakistan facing India in this tournament, Naqvi did not provide a direct answer. If the hybrid model is adopted, the game would be played at a neutral venue, with a failure to do so resulting in significant financial losses for the event.
The board’s meeting will be conducted virtually and could end in a vote if no consensus is reached. With the tournament fast approaching, a decision needs to be made quickly.
Pakistan was awarded the Champions Trophy hosting rights in November 2021, and if all goes as planned, it will be their first ICC event since the 1996 World Cup.