Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @icctrophytour
Discussions around the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have intensified, with India refusing to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns. To break the impasse, the ICC proposed a “hybrid” model where India’s matches would be held in Dubai.
Media reports indicated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was open to this proposal if the ICC provided written assurance that Pakistan’s matches in events hosted by India would take place at neutral venues and that Pakistan would receive an increased share of annual revenue. However, according to Cricket Pakistan, the BCCI is reportedly “hesitant” to accept this solution.
If Pakistan’s conditions are approved, future ICC finals involving Pakistan would need to be shifted out of India to a neutral venue, which is reportedly a sticking point for the BCCI.
“We have presented a fair solution. If India does not accept it, they cannot expect us to send our team there in the future. If an ICC event is held in India, their team would also need to play finals or key matches in Dubai, ensuring parity,” a PCB source stated, according to NDTV.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has dismissed the hybrid model, emphasizing that any new solution must ensure equality. “We will do what’s best for cricket. It’s definitely not a hybrid formula, but if a new formula is formed, it will be an equal one,” Naqvi said in a video shared by the PCB on X.
The ICC held a meeting with member boards on Friday to discuss the tournament’s future, but uncertainty continues as the PCB remains firm on hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan. “We will not allow one-sided decisions […] decisions should be made based on equality,” Naqvi reiterated.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff