The International Cricket Council (ICC) was scheduled to hold a very much awaited meeting on Friday where it would decide the fate of the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, with the ongoing disputes over the venue between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the meeting had to be postponed to November 30.
At the center of the dispute is the venue for the 2025 Champions Trophy. India has firmly stated that its cricket team will not travel to Pakistan, which is the official host of the tournament. The BCCI’s refusal stems from the lack of clearance from the Indian government for the Indian team to visit Pakistan, citing security concerns.
In turn, PCB is very categorical that it would host the event in Pakistan, and has not agreed on the ‘hybrid model’ of hosting some of the matches there and rest in neutral countries.
In a bid to address the issue, an initial virtual meeting of ICC representatives from 12 full member countries, three associate nations, and other key officials had been scheduled. However, there is no consensus, and thus the meeting is put on hold.
PCB Rejects The Hybrid Model
According to reports, the ICC’s executive board failed to agree on the schedule of 2025 Champions Trophy at the emergency meeting. A big bone of contention was the hybrid hosting model in which Pakistan was unwilling to allow India to play its matches outside Pakistan. A senior ICC administrator attended the meeting and said that “The Board did meet briefly today. All parties continue to work towards a positive resolution for the Champions Trophy 2025. The Board will reconvene on Saturday and continue discussions in the coming days.”.
Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman PCB, attended the meeting in person as he had been in Dubai since Thursday, campaigning for Pakistan’s position. The BCCI Secretary Jay Shah represented India on video conferencing from India. Shah would take over the Chairmanship of the ICC from 1st December onwards and had thus played an important role representing India’s stand on the matter.
Two Versions Of Champions Trophy End
As tensions mount, the ICC is reportedly preparing to present two potential plans for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The first plan involves holding three of India’s group-stage matches, one semi-final, and the final in a neutral country, with the UAE emerging as a potential candidate due to its proximity to Pakistan.
This would allow easier travel for teams and officials. The second plan has India playing all its matches outside of Pakistan if they do not qualify for the knockouts, with both semi-finals and the final to be held in Pakistan.
According to reports, the ICC may put the decision to a vote among the member boards. The majority will have its say, and the PCB will be bound to comply with the decision. The tournament is scheduled to be played within a 19-day window from February 19 to March 9, 2025.
PCB’s Position On Hosting The Champions Trophy
The PCB has also expressed its desire to host the event in Pakistan, claiming that it is the rightful host following its awarding of the rights to host the Champions Trophy back in November 2021. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi claimed that Pakistan has not hosted an ICC event since the 1996 Cricket World Cup and would love to host its first ICC event in nearly three decades.
In a statement, Naqvi expressed his confidence in Pakistan’s ability to host the Champions Trophy, despite the political tensions that have clouded the situation. He said, “We have sent them (ICC) the questions we had. We are still waiting for their response. I believe that sports and politics are separate, and no country should mix the two. Even now I still have positive expectations about the Champions Trophy.”
The commitment of the PCB is well reflected in Naqvi’s words that it would make sure that the tournament was played in Pakistan but a resolution acceptable to all parties involved must be brought forward. In any case, Naqvi remains optimistic about the present uncertainty regarding the event.
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