ICC to Meet With Upset Broadcast Partners Over Champions Trophy Deadlock

The International Cricket Council (ICC) remains in a bind over the Champions Trophy 2025 schedule as India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan has stalled the tournament’s planning with the governing body convening an internal meeting with its sponsors broadcast partners and other stakeholders today.

The Champions Trophy, slated to be held in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, has yet to see a finalized schedule, leaving sponsors and broadcast partners in limbo as they struggle to make necessary arrangements.

The ICC’s cut-off date for the announcement, November 20, has passed without progress due to the unresolved stalemate between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The PCB had proposed a hybrid formula where Pakistan and India would play their matches at neutral venues for tournaments hosted by each other. However, the BCCI has not responded to the suggestion, further deepening the uncertainty.

Given India’s status as cricket’s financial powerhouse, the ICC has avoided making unilateral decisions. “The ICC may seek feedback from its sponsors and broadcasters on how to proceed if the BCCI refuses both to send its team to Pakistan and to accept the PCB’s hybrid model. Additionally, it could request stakeholders to remain patient while a resolution is pursued,” the source added.

India’s absence from the Champions Trophy would deal a severe blow to the tournament’s revenue potential, as broadcasters and sponsors rely heavily on the Indian market. “The ICC is effectively stuck between a rock and a hard place, with revenue losses looming if India pulls out and logistical chaos if the event is delayed,” a source noted.

India’s significant role in hosting future ICC tournaments, including the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025, the T20 World Cup in 2026 (jointly with Sri Lanka), the 2029 Champions Trophy, and the 2031 ODI World Cup, further complicates the matter. The ICC must tread carefully to avoid souring relations with its largest stakeholder.

If the BCCI continues to resist the hybrid formula, postponement may become the only viable option for the ICC. A delayed Champions Trophy could provide more time to reach a consensus, though it would likely create scheduling conflicts with other international tournaments.