The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally addressed the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to reject the hybrid model for hosting a few portions of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to take place between the third week of February to the second week of March, outside their country, either in Dubai or in Sri Lanka.
The proposal came from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as they wrote a letter to the ICC which was later forwarded to the PCB, on their decision to decline the trip to Pakistan, regarding security reasons. The Blue Brigade hasn’t toured the country since the 2008 Asia Cup for the same reason.
The ICC board members will meet on Friday (November 29, 2024) with the hope of ending the saga and taking a final call on the dates and venues of the 50-over tournament among eight nations. With less than two months to roll for the event, the schedule is yet to arrive for the eight-time competition.
Pakistan eliminates hybrid model option before ICC board meeting
Three points are expected to be considered in the meeting, where the first will be the hybrid model, where the majority of the games will be played in Pakistan but those involving India will be outside the host country. The second option is a bit scratchy where they will allow the Green Brigade to play their entire event outside the home country, with an option of retaining the hosting rights.
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The third option is to play the whole tournament in Pakistan but without the presence of India. That seems to be close to unimaginable given the financial structure the Blue Brigade brings with its audience in the current ICC events.
The possibility of the first option has also reduced a lot after the PCB official expressed, according to the reports, that they won’t be prepared to accept the hybrid model at any cost. On the eve of the meeting, they had already asked the ICC to give a reasonable proposal to accept in the board meeting.
In the early hours of Thursday morning (November 28), the chances of the hybrid model increased at a stretch, after the chairman of the PCB, Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the interior minister of the country, as the veteran claimed that they would accept whatever decision the ICC board takes to their government.
The Pakistani board has already renovated three venues for the event in the form of the National Stadium in Karachi, the Rawalpindi Stadium, and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Naqvi has doubled down on the prospect of them no longer being willing to play in India, as the latter is hosting the Women’s World Cup next year, as Asia Cup in 2025, and the Men’s T20 World Cup to be followed by the Champions Trophy 2029.
Mohsin has not commented on whether they would play India in this event, as they are drawn into the same group. However, the hybrid model will mean the change of venue for the game at a neutral place. If the games don’t take place, then it would put a significant commercial hit to the event.
“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.” The PCB chairman has commented repeatedly.
They won the hosting rights for the tournament in November 2021 and if it goes by plan, then it would be their first ICC event to be hosted since the 1996 World Cup.