A likely breakthrough has emerged in the impasse over the 2025 Champions Trophy: the ICC and PCB are believed to have reached an agreement in principle to adopt the hybrid model for global tournaments held in Pakistan or India until 2027. Such an arrangement would allow the two to play their games at ICC tournaments hosted by the other at a neutral venue.

Although the deal has been confirmed to Pakinomist by various sources, the PCB – official host of the 2025 Champions Trophy – has not commented on it, revealing only that discussions are continuing.

It is not yet known whether the hybrid model will be applicable to both men’s and women’s tournaments. In the ICC’s current commercial cycle (2024-27), three global events are scheduled in both countries: the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next February, the women’s ODI World Cup in India later in 2025 and the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026 hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Pakinomist understands the development that emerged on Thursday following meetings between new ICC chairman Jay Shah and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. They met in Dubai on the sidelines of a board meeting organized by Shah, who was visiting the ICC’s headquarters in the city for the first time in his new role. A board meeting to discuss the Champions Trophy is scheduled for December 7.

The PCB’s acceptance of a hybrid model for the eight-team Champions Trophy is believed to be subject to a set of conditions. One of them is that a hybrid model should be applicable to all ICC events, including women, held in India and Pakistan until at least 2027, if not the entire current cycle of events until 2031.

Other matters are said to center around compensation for a potential loss of commercial revenue from India’s Champions Trophy games being played at a separate overseas venue. Should India make it to the knockout stage, then at least one semi-final and potentially the final are likely to be played outside Pakistan. The UAE and Sri Lanka are among the frontrunners for this.

The PCB, it is understood, has proposed to arrange a tri-nation series involving India, Pakistan and another country to offset any financial loss suffered by both boards due to matches involving India and Pakistan that played elsewhere.

There is likely to be more back and forth between the two boards and the ICC on the matter and the final call is likely to be taken at the December 7 board meeting.

The PCB had planned a February 19 start to the Champions Trophy, with Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi as the host cities. But due to the impasse between the PCB and the BCCI – the latter told the ICC last month it could not travel to Pakistan for the tournament because it did not have the Indian government’s approval – the ICC has been unable to release a schedule for the event.

Shah promises ‘new era’ for world game

Shah, who was the BCCI secretary from December 2019 to December 1 this year, has officially taken charge of the ICC, becoming its youngest chairman at 36. In his first media statement in the ICC role, Shah said the global body was in ushering in a “new era” and his aim was to take the game to “unprecedented heights” collectively with the member states. While the entire ICC board was not present in person on Thursday, Shah said he discussed the “initial roadmap and strategies to shape the future” of the game with multiple directors.

With Shah moving to the ICC, there has been intrigue over who will replace him as BCCI secretary. Since 2022, Shah had also been the BCCI’s representative on the ICC Board, holding influential positions including head of finance and commercial affairs. While the BCCI has not commented on who will be the next secretary, the board’s joint secretary, Devajit Saikia, was present at the ICC meetings in Dubai this week. Then Saikia could potentially be the BCCI representative on the ICC board.