While the window for the eight-team ODI tournament has been earmarked between February 19 and March, the ICC has not announced the dates as well or a schedule formally. Usually for a global tournament, the ICC previously announced the schedule 100 days before the event.

The reason for the delay is the Indian government’s refusal to allow Rohit Sharma’s team to travel to Pakistan. That decision was communicated to the ICC a fortnight ago. The PCB, which was awarded the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy in 2021, subsequently wrote to the ICC asking several questions about the exact reasons given by the BCCI and when they informed the ICC. According to a PCB official, they have not received a response from the ICC till date.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has remained adamant about hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan at three venues: Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. Last week, he said he would be open to a dialogue with the BCCI to break the deadlock. An ICC spokesman confirmed Friday’s meeting, but the PCB has no comment so far.

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 comes right at the end of current ICC chairman Greg Barclay’s tenure. This will be the last board meeting he chairs before he is replaced on Sunday (December 1) by Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary and a key figure in the Champions Trophy issue.

Naqvi, the PCB chairman, is also a key figure in the Pakistani government, as its interior minister. Over the past few days, he has been busy with Islamabad trying to quell political protests by PTI, the party of former prime minister (and captain) Imran Khan.

Additional reporting by Osman Samiuddin