The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been told by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to either accept a new plan for the Champions Trophy next year or risk not being part of the tournament at all. This situation arose because India doesn’t want to come to Pakistan for the games due to safety worries.
An urgent meeting took place in Dubai to plan the event, which is set for February and March next year. Under the proposed “Hybrid” model, India would play its matches in the UAE instead of Pakistan. However, the PCB boss, Mohsin Naqvi, doesn’t want to agree to this setup.
Most ICC board members sympathize with Pakistan, but they believe accepting the Hybrid model is the best way to go forward. If the model is chosen, India will play its matches in the UAE and not in Pakistan. An ICC Board source mentioned that if the PCB doesn’t agree to the Hybrid Model, the whole tournament might be moved to another country, possibly the UAE, and Pakistan could be left out completely.
The meeting on Friday was brief after Naqvi repeated his stance. The outgoing ICC chair, Greg Barclay, led the meeting as this was his last official engagement before Jay Shah takes over next month. The Ministry of External Affairs in India has supported the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), stating that the Indian team cannot go to Pakistan due to security concerns.
If the tournament has to be moved, the PCB could lose out on $6 million in hosting fees and significant gate revenue—which could cut their earnings down to $35 million a year. The ICC also faces problems since their broadcaster, Star, might change their multi-billion dollar deal if the situation doesn’t get resolved soon.
The only time available for this tournament is from February 19 to March 9, and all other teams have games scheduled after those dates. While the PCB could ask for compensation for not being able to host the event fully, it’s unlikely that it will happen in Pakistan.
Pakistani cricket officials could respond by not attending the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in India in 2025. A senior BCCI official said that while Pakistan could demand a Hybrid Model for the 2025 Women’s T20 World Cup, it might not work. Most of Pakistan’s matches in the T20 World Cup next year will likely happen in Sri Lanka.
Champions Trophy Drama: PCB Faces Tough Choices As ICC Warns Of CT Without Pakistan
PCB faces pressure from ICC to accept Hybrid model for Champions Trophy, or risk being excluded. India refuses to play in Pakistan due to security concerns.
Leave a Reply