New Delhi:
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is facing an uncertain future. The BCCI, after not receiving clearance from the Indian government, has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in 2025. The Pakistan Cricket Board, the designated host, is adamant that there will be no hybrid model where India play its matches at a neutral venue. The PCB has also shot off a letter to the ICC asking the world body to give in writing its and BCCI’s stance.
India and Pakistan last played a bilateral series in 2012-13. Since then, they have played each other only in ICC and Asian Cricket Council events. The 2023 Asia Cup, where Pakistan were the hosts, saw a hybrid model where India played its matches in Sri Lanka.
According to a report in Cricbuzz, if Pakistan Cricket Board continues to maintain its tough stance and the Champions Trophy gets affected it may result in sanctions from the ICC. If PCB withdraw, its ICC funding can be cut substantially. Moving or postponing the tournament could mean PCB losing out on approximately USD 65 million as host fees. Recently the PCB upgraded three venues – Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore – for the Champions Trophy and any financial loss would hurt them even more.
The PCB has conveyed to the ICC that security is not an issue in the country which successfully hosted England and New Zealand recently and promised the same for the Champions Trophy.
It remained steadfast on its stand to not have the event in hybrid model, like the last year’s Asia Cup when India’s matches were held in Sri Lanka.
The ICC is yet to respond to the PCB and was discussing the schedule with the participating teams.
News agency PTI has learned that the PCB is also not keen to host the tournament outside the country, not even in the UAE.
However the launch event in Lahore has been pushed back.
It was being planned in Lahore as per ICC management’s briefing to the ICC CEC and ICC Board on 21st October in Dubai. But this has now been put on a hold, informed an ICC insider.
