After weeks of meetings and news, ICC had called upon a meeting on ICC Champions Trophy 2025. BCCI and PCB were both invited to create a win-win situation.
The ongoing discussions around the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have reached a critical stage as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) grapple with unresolved difficulties. After weeks of discussion, the PCB has conditionally accepted the hybrid hosting option for the prestigious championship. However, an official announcement from the ICC is still pending due to a lack of consensus among broadcasters on the model.
The situation worsened when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced its refusal to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy. The decision, attributed to the Indian government withholding clearance, has forced the ICC to consider alternative hosting arrangements. A hybrid model, reminiscent of last year’s Asia Cup format, has been. However, the PCB has firmly opposed this approach, categorically refusing to share hosting rights with another country.
PCB Rejects Hybrid Model, Insists on Viable Solutions
The PCB has categorically rejected the hybrid hosting model, arguing that sharing hosting rights for the ICC Champions Trophy undermines its position as the designated host. The PCB has urged the ICC to propose a feasible and equitable alternative before Friday’s key meeting. According to the PCB, Pakistan will not entertain a scenario in which its team must play in India while India refrains from playing in Pakistan.
In response to the impasse, the PCB has put forth an innovative “partnership or fusion formula” aimed at breaking the deadlock. This proposal suggests that India and Pakistan play their ICC Champions Trophy games against each other in Dubai over the next three years, circumventing the need for direct travel to each other’s countries.
India Objects to PCB’s Fusion Formula
Despite the PCB’s efforts to propose an alternative, the BCCI has raised objections to the “partnership or fusion formula.” The Indian board has stated that even if its team qualifies for the ICC Champions Trophy final, it will not travel to Pakistan. In retaliation, the PCB has declared it will also refuse to play in India under similar circumstances. The PCB has gone a step further, recommending that all ICC Champions Trophy finals for the next three years be held at neutral venues to ensure fairness and avoid further diplomatic entanglements. PCB Chairman Najam Sethi and senior officials are currently engaged in discussions with Indian cricket representatives in Dubai, seeking a resolution to the ongoing dispute.
ICC Yet to Respond as Tensions Mount
As the ICC Champions Trophy looms, no official response has been given to the PCB’s proposal for neutral venues. ICC will address the matter during a broadcasters’ conference in Dubai on Thursday. During this meeting, the ICC is also expected to share the much-awaited Champions Trophy schedule.
The PCB remains steadfast in its demand for neutral finals, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining a level playing field. As negotiations continue, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 hangs in the balance, with cricketing fans worldwide anxiously awaiting a resolution to the stalemate.
While the ICC Champions Trophy is a marquee event in the cricketing calendar, this geopolitical dispute underscores the challenges of hosting international tournaments amid tense bilateral relations. All eyes now turn to the upcoming ICC meetings, where the fate of the tournament may finally be decided.