Pakistan lift the ICC Champions Trophy after beating India during ICC Champions Trophy Final between India and Pakistan at The Kia Oval in London on June 18, 2017.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Backing down from its boycott threat, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has told the ICC that it is willing to accept the ‘Hybrid’ model for hosting next year’s Champions Trophy provided the world body allows the same arrangement for events to be held in India till 2031.

A top PCB source told PTI that the Board is also demanding a greater share in the annual revenue cycle for agreeing to the model under which India would be playing its share of matches, including the clash against Pakistan in Dubai, owing to security concerns. The Champions Trophy is to be held in February-March.

The proposal is a climbdown for the PCB, which had earlier threatened to boycott the tournament if its hosting rights were not granted in full and India’s demand for a neutral venue was accepted.

“The current situation is that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that it will only accept hosting the Champions Trophy on a hybrid model if the board agrees that in future all ICC events will be on same system with Pakistan not going to India to play matches,” a PCB source told PTI.

Till 2031, India are due to host three ICC men’s events — the 2026 T20 World Cup jointly with Sri Lanka, the 2029 Champions Trophy and the 2031 ODI World Cup jointly with Bangladesh.

Given that Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are co-hosts for two major events, Pakistan would not be compelled to travel to India if they insist against it. The point of contention could be just the 2029 Champions Trophy, which will be held entirely in India.

Another flash-point could be next year’s women’s ODI World Cup in October, also to be held in India.

The state of flux surrounding next year’s Champions Trophy is now expected to be resolved in the next couple of days after the ICC executive board considers Pakistan’s latest demands.

The ICC Board met briefly to find a solution on Friday but no agreement could be reached. The world body eventually told PCB to either accept the hybrid model or be prepared to be excluded from the tournament after Naqvi reiterated the unyielding position of his country.

The impasse has led to a delay in the announcement of the schedule for the tournament.

The PCB source claimed that Naqvi is sticking to his stance despite pressure and has even sought financial perks for the PCB to accept the hybrid model.

“Pakistan also wants the ICC board to increase its financial cycle share of revenues from 5.75 percent and Naqvi is insistent on this but he has not sought any additional hosting fees,” the source added.

“People are saying that Naqvi has sought time to get back after talking to his government but we don’t know if he went there with the backing of the government and had already sought their approval to make his stand in the ICC board’s virtual meeting,” he asserted.

Naqvi, who is also the interior minister in his country, also faces the prospect of a public backlash if PCB is seen to be backing down without any tangible gains.

Earlier, Naqvi also met Emirates Cricket Board head Mubashir Usmani in Dubai, conveying that Pakistan was ready to host the Champions Trophy and all the preparations were on schedule.

The PCB source though rejected speculation that the Board would get a bonus of $20 million besides the hosting fees of $6 million for the Champions Trophy for conceding to India’s demands.

“Pakistan has taken only one stance and that is in future, it will also not play in India in any ICC events and the Hybrid model should be applied for all future ICC events that Pakistan and India will play their games at neutral venues,” he said.

During the ICC meeting, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi made it clear that the ‘hybrid’ model won’t be acceptable. The ICC board meeting was adjourned to November 30.
| Photo Credit: AP

The emergency meeting of the International Cricket Council’s executive board could not achieve a consensus on the much-awaited Champions Trophy schedule and will reconvene on Saturday (November 30, 2024) after Pakistan once again rejected the ‘Hybrid’ model of hosting the event.

The meeting was brief after Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi made it clear that the ‘hybrid’ model won’t be acceptable despite India’s firm refusal to travel to his country owing to a lack of government clearance.

“The Board did meet briefly today. 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 (November 30, 2024) 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.

In Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated BCCI’s stand that that the Indian team cannot travel to Pakistan due to security reasons.

“BCCI has issued a statement. They have said that there are security concerns there and it is therefore unlikely that the team will be going there,” an MEA spokesperson said in a routine briefing when the country’s Champions Trophy participation was mentioned.

PCB chairman Naqvi attended the meeting in person as he has been in Dubai since Thursday to push Pakistan’s stance. BCCI secretary Jay Shah attended the meeting online. Shah will take charge as the new ICC head on December 1.

It is understood that the ‘Hybrid Model’ is being seen as the only “plausible solution” and if the tournament is adjourned, the PCB will have to forego their hosting fee of USD six million along with gate revenue.

There could also be significant cut on their annual revenue, which is to the tune of USD 35 million.

Unless the ‘Hybrid Model’ is implemented, even the ICC will be in a spot of bother as official broadcaster Star would then renegotiate the multi-billion dollar deal with the body.

The only window available for the tournament is between February 19 to March 9 and all other participating nations have their bilateral engagements after that.

Logo of Pakistan Cricket Board. Twitter/@TheRealPCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday (November 28, 2024) that it will not accept the Hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, and asked the global governing body not to discuss the option in Friday’s (November 29, 2024) board meeting.

The ICC has convened a meeting of the executive members virtually to resolve the scheduling imbroglio surrounding the marquee event after India’s refusal to send the team across the border.

“I can confirm that PCB has a few hours back told the ICC that a Hybrid Model is not acceptable to them,” a source told PTI.

The PCB has been rigid in its opposition to the hybrid model and had advised the ICC to look at other options to stage the Champions Trophy.

The Pakistan board maintained that having a Hybrid model would mean giving preferential treatment to India.

“I can confirm initially the PCB had looked at the possibility of a Hybrid model on the condition that if India can’t play in Pakistan, then in future there would be Hybrid models in all ICC events in India right until 2031 (ODI World Cup in India and Bangladesh) as Pakistan would not go and play in India,” the source said.

Another source confirmed that PCB has also reminded the ICC to inform whether the BCCI had submitted a letter in writing from their government stating that clearance was not given to the Indian team to play in Pakistan.

“Under ICC regulations if any team says its government is not allowing it to play in another nation on whatever grounds that board has to submit their government’s directives in writing which we have not seen so far,” the source said.

He said the PCB had acknowledged the contribution of the BCCI and Indian market in ICC’s income generation but reminded the ICC that as per numbers from the last few global events Pakistan also played a major part in ensuring the revenues through their matches against India.

He said the ICC has yet to confirm the timing of the virtual meeting.