Hybrid model for Champions Trophy 2025? ICC is likely to take calls on November 26

The ICC board will meet next week for an emergency meeting to discuss the fate of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Pakinomist has learned that the single-item agenda for the meeting, which is likely to be held on November 26, is to agree on whether to adopt a hybrid model for the tournament, with matches spread between Pakistan, the host country, and another overseas venue. which has not yet been confirmed.

While several people involved in discussions confirmed the development to Pakinomist, an ICC spokesperson said there had been no official communication confirming next week’s meeting. It is not clear how many boards have been informed of the meeting at this time. A PCB official also said that they had not received any such information at the moment.

The ICC’s Board of Directors consists of representatives from the 12 full member countries, three representatives from Associates, an independent director together with the ICC’s Chairman and CEO.

The meeting has been called after the BCCI told the ICC that the Indian government has denied Rohit Sharma’s team permission to travel to Pakistan. That decision only came a fortnight ago; The PCB was awarded hosting rights for the eight-team ODI tournament three years ago, in November 2021, and has been steadfast in conducting the entire event in Pakistan at three venues: Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi.

The impasse has meant that with less than 100 days until the expected start of the tournament – as hosts, the PCB has penciled it in to run from February 19 to March 9 – there is still no official timetable from the ICC for the event.

Speaking to the media in Pakistan this week, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said he maintained “positive expectations” for the Champions Trophy taking place in the country. Naqvi, who is also the head of the Pakistan government’s home ministry, said he was willing to have a dialogue with the BCCI to break the deadlock, even as the PCB awaits a response from the ICC on a series of questions about why India cannot travel to Pakistan for the tournament.

This is the second time in consecutive years that the PCB has been faced with the hybrid model of hosting a multinational tournament to accommodate India. Asia Cup 2023 was played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka after the Indian team was denied permission to travel to Pakistan. It was Pakistan who traveled between their country and Sri Lanka where the tournament final was played. Pakistan traveled to India for the ODI World Cup shortly after that tournament, a decision the PCB has said it expected to be reciprocated for the Champions Trophy.

Earlier this week, the Indian team was also forced to pull out of the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup to be held in Pakistan after failing to secure permission from the Indian government for the team to travel to Pakistan.

Additional reporting by Osman Samiuddin

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