Cricketing governing body International Cricket Council (ICC) set to hold a meeting in an attempt to break a deadlock for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 which was supposed to take place in Pakistan next year. The agenda of the meeting is to find a resolution as the Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) denied sending team India to the neighbouring nations for the marquee event.
PCB is stubborn to host the entire tournament in their country as ICC reportedly suggested a Hybrid Model so that India will also feature in the Champions Trophy.
The schedule for the marquee event was supposed to be out earlier in November but due to the ongoing stance of PCB, it has been delayed.
As per ESPNcricinfo, the ICC will discuss three options during the meeting.
Hybrid Model: The first one is the hybrid model where India-centric matches will be played at a neutral venue and Pakistan will host the majority of matches just like the Asia Cup 2023 where the Rohit Sharma-led side played all their matches in Sri Lanka.
Full tournament out of Pakistan: The second one would be moving the entire tournament to a different country but PCB keeps the hosting right.
Champions Trophy without India: The third one would be Pakistan will host the whole tournament without India's participation. However, this will unlikely to happen considering India's cricket audience.
Earlier, news agency PTI quoted that the PCB has conveyed to ICC that they won't accept the hybrid model. “I can confirm that PCB has a few hours back told the ICC that a Hybrid Model is not acceptable to them," the news agency quoted a source as saying.
This comes after PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi seemed to be more accepting towards the Hybrid Model after earlier rejecting its possibility.
“Whatever we do, we will make sure the best outcome for Pakistan is achieved. But I repeat, and I am sure you know what I mean, it’s not possible that Pakistan play in India, and they don’t come here," Naqvi told reporters.
India haven’t toured Pakistan since the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 and Pakistan played their last tournament in India during the ODI World Cup 2023 where they failed to perform and got out of the tournament after group stage.
