The commotion regarding the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 refuses to die down. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) clearly stating that they won’t send Team India to Pakistan, the hosts, for next year’s mega event, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was offered to accept a hybrid model. 

PCB have shown willingness to accept the proposal, in a recent ICC meeting, they have urged the governing body to follow the same model when the upcoming ICC events will be held in India. India is set to host the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, and 2026 T20 World Cup (along with Sri Lanka).

As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, it is understood that the PCB has put forward the proposal mentioned above over the weekend in meetings with the ICC and BCCI in Dubai. 

They have urged for an equitable and long-term agreement -- going beyond the Champions Trophy -- with similar provisions for Pakistan to play outside of India during ICC events held there. However, it is unclear whether such provisions are aimed for the next three years or until the end of the current rights cycle, in 2031.

As of now, there has been no response from the BCCI but indications are that the Indian cricket board is not willing to accept adopting a hybrid model for their tournaments, citing no security issues in India. 

In either case, the ICC Board will examine the PCB proposal before making a final call for next year’s Champions Trophy (also regarded as the mini World Cup). After the final decision is out, both PCB and BCCI will have it ratified by their governments. The next ICC meeting on this matter is tentatively scheduled for De 5 (Thursday) with a final decision set to be out soon.

Earlier, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had told reporters on Dec 1 (Sunday), in Dubai, “We will do whatever’s best for cricket. If we adopt any other formula [except hosting the tournament in Pakistan], it will be done on the basis of equality. The most important thing for Pakistan is its respect; everything else is secondary.

A one-sided arrangement is no longer acceptable. It cannot be the case that we continue to go to India, but they do not visit Pakistan. Whatever happens must be on the basis of equality.”

The last edition of the Champions Trophy was held in 2017, in England and Wales, with Pakistan winning the coveted title for the first time.

Source: WION
--Agencies