Pakistan Likely To Lose Hosting Rights Of Champions Trophy 2025, Tournament Could Be Held In Hybrid Model, Say Reports

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to receive another blow from International Cricket Council (ICC) as they might lose the complete hosting rights of the Champions Trophy 2025. As per reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not interested in changing their stance in the next two years over not touring Pakistan to play cricket. Indian men's cricket team did not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 as well due to security concerns.

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BCCI secretary Jay Shah had made it clear that untill government gives clearance, the Indian team will not travel across the border. That decision had irked the then PCB boss Ramiz Raja, who had said that if India were not going to come to Pakistan for Champions Trophy, he would also not send the Men in Green to India for World Cup. But nothing of this sort happened. The Asia Cup 2023 was held in a hybrid model, with four games played in Pakistan and 9 in Sri Lanka. And Pakistan travelled to India for the World Cup. 

PCB is fearing that there could be a repeat of the same ahead of the Champions Trophy. A report in WION states that if India refuses to travel to Pakistan again, the tournament will be held in UAE. Or there could be a use of a hybrid model with some games hosted by Pakistan and others by UAE. In this scenario, India will not play any match in Pakistan. 

According to news agency PTI, PCB boss Zaka Ashraf and COO Salman Naseer met the ICC executive board on their trip to Ahmedabad for the meeting and talked about the uncertainty of India touring Pakistan for CT 2025.

“Pakistani officials discussed the probability of the Indian board (BCCI) again refusing to send its team to Pakistan and made it clear that in any given situation, the ICC must avoid taking unilateral decisions on the tournament,” a source told PTI.

The source also said that PCB should be compensated properly if BCCI refuses to travel to Pakistan. PCB told the ICC board that many teams have toured the country in the last two years, including Australia, England and New Zealand. And there were no security concerns whatsoever during these tours. "They also made it clear that in case of India not sending its team and its matches being moved to another country, then the ICC must compensate Pakistan for this," the source added. 

Champions Trophy is making a return to ICC roster after 8 years. Pakitan won the last ICC Men's Champions Trophy in 2017. The tournament includes the best 8 teams in the world. The best team 8 includes the hosts and the top 7 teams from the ODI World Cup 2023.