Champions Trophy: File photo of an India vs Pakistan cricket match© AFP
The Champions Trophy 2025 is slowly but steadily going towards a ‘hybrid model’ of hosting it seems. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and its main stakeholders took part in a brief meeting on Friday to find a solution to the ongoing impasse. The BCCI has not been given clearance by the Indian government to send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan, the designated hosts of the Champions Trophy. Pakistan Cricket Board has, so far, been adamant about rejecting the hybrid model of hosting where India plays its matches in a third country.
According to a report in Revsportz, all member boards barring PCB have siding with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the hybrid model of hosting.
“Look, no broadcaster will give a penny to an ICC event which does not have India and even Pakistan knows that. The ICC meeting on Saturday will only happen if Mr Mohsin Naqvi agrees with the ‘Hybrid Model’,” an ICC Board source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“If not, then ICC Board might have to shift the tournament entirely to a different country (could be UAE too) but it will be held without Pakistan,” he added.
Friday’s meeting, which was chaired by deputy chairperson Imran Khwaja owing to outgoing head Greg Barclay’s absence for unspecified reasons, was brief after Naqvi reiterated his country’s position once again. This was to be Barclay’s last official engagement before the taking of charge by new chair Jay Shah early next month.
“All parties continue to work towards a positive resolution for the Champions Trophy 2025 and it is expected that the Board will reconvene on Saturday and continue to meet over the next few days,” a senior administrator of an ICC full member nation, who is also a part of the Board, told PTI.
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