Big blow to Pakistan as ICC cancels Champions Trophy's major November 11 event in Lahore, no confirmation on schedule

Earlier this week, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi ruled out the possibility of a hybrid model for ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Nitin Srivastava

• Sun • 10 Nov 2024

India's captain Rohit Sharma (2L) with his counterparts New Zealand's Kane Williamson (L), Pakistan's Babar Azam (2R) and England's Jos Buttler speak as they stand beside the trophy during the Captains' Day event at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Rohit Sharma, Babar Azam, Kane Williamson, Jos Buttler

Highlights:

The schedule of the ICC Champions Trophy was scheduled to be announce in Lahore on November 11.

BCCI has communicated to ICC that India won't travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) cancelled a key event for Champions Trophy 2025 where the schedule was set to be announced in a formal ceremony on November 11 in Lahore. Sports Tak has learnt that the schedule is yet to be confirmed and will be announced after discussions with all participating nations.

"The schedule is not confirmed, we are still in discussions and dialogue with the host and participating nations on the Champions Trophy schedule, once confirmed we will announce through our normal channels," an ICC source said.

Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has verbally communicated to the ICC and they won't be travelling to Pakistan for the marquee event.

"Verbally we have communicated but soon we will send an official mail to ICC about the government directions that we are not travelling to Pakistan for Champions Trophy," a BCCI source said.

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Hybrid model to be considered?

Earlier, Sports Tak reported that a hybrid model is set to be adopted for the ICC Champions Trophy. India will play their matches in the United Arab Emirates. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that there are no discussions regarding the hybrid model.

“We need everything in writing if India has any issues with travelling to Pakistan. we have been reading reports in the Indian media, but nothing official has come to us. As for the BCCI, we have not received anything from the ICC if the BCCI has written anything to them," Naqvi said on November 8 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

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"So far, we have not spoken anything about the hybrid model, nor are we ready to discuss that issue.

“Our preparations for the Champions Trophy are on course and will continue in the same fashion. If India does decide to pull out, we will seek advice from our government and will respond accordingly, as we have been very cordial with the BCCI on so many occasions in the past," he added.

In additon, a few reports claim that the ICC won't confirm the venues for the tournament when it announces the schedule.