On Thursday night, a report by news agency PTI quoting sources, claimed that the Jay Shah-led International Cricket Council (ICC) and its member associations have “agreed in principle” to go ahead with a hybrid model of hosting the Champions Trophy 2025. However, there was a catch. A similar ‘hybrid model’ of hosting will be used in all ICC events till 2027. The 2025 Champions Trophy is to be held in February-March next year. The report quoted a top ICC source and said the decision was more or less finalised during an informal meeting between the body’s new President Jay Shah and the Board of Directors, including Pakistan, at its headquarters in Dubai on Thursday.
Pakistan, while withdrawing its boycott threat and agreeing to go hybrid in the previous ICC meet last week, had demanded a reciprocal arrangement for itself till 2031. However, the ICC has agreed to a hybrid model for all its events till 2027.
“It’s been agreed in principle by all parties that the 2025 Champions Trophy will be held in the UAE and Pakistan with India playing its matches in Dubai. It’s a win-win situation for all stakeholders,” the ICC source told PTI.
However, it may not be seen as a ‘win-win’ for the BCCI by all.
From the period of 2025 till 2027, India will be hosting the women’s ODI World Cup in October this year and the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup jointly with Sri Lanka.
Given the hosting arrangement, Pakistan would not have been compelled to travel to India if they had insisted against it in 2026 even if a hybrid model was not in place. If the above-mentioned report is true, then India will not be able to play its marquee match against Pakistan at home, which may be seen as a big dampener by many fans.
It would be unprecedented if an Indian team has to travel to another country for playing its ‘home’ match while it is the sole host of an ICC event.
“During the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan will play its matches in Sri Lanka. The compensation demanded by PCB for the Champions Trophy hybrid model is still under consideration,” the source told PTI.
Agreeing to this arrangement means that the Indian women’s team will have to travel to a neutral venue to play their league match against Pakistan, should that be necessitated by the schedule which is yet to come out.
India have not toured Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which killed more than 150 people. Their last bilateral engagement was back in 2012.
Their latest refusal to travel has been blamed on security concerns and the ICC has stated more than once that it does not expect any member board to go against government travel advisories.
With PTI inputs
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