ICC Champions Trophy 2025: ICC issues ultimatum to PCB over hybrid model, threatens tournament relocation

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is all set to adopt the hybrid model for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. As per the reports in Sports Tak, it is learned that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has given an ultimatum to the hosting board at the ICC Board meeting.

The ICC Board meeting lasted only 15 minutes on Friday and tomorrow a new meeting is scheduled. The conclusion related to the tournament will be drawn and clarity related to where and how the tournament will be played will also be revealed.

ICC has given PCB a day to mull over the Hybrid Formula for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The reports claimed that the ICC has given PCB a day to mull over the Hybrid Formula. The governing body also has made a plan if the Pakistan Cricket Board remains adamant on its stance to host the entire tournament in Pakistan.

It is learned that if that happens or even if Pakistan threatens to pull out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the ICC will be moving the tournament to a different country altogether. Hence, it is expected that the hosting nation will go ahead with the Hybrid model.

CHAMPIONS TROPHY BIG BREAKING: ICC Board has given PCB a day to mull over Hybrid Formula and in case they remain adamant (and worse case pullout or threaten CT boycott) the Champions Trophy will be held in a different country altogether
PCB most likely to go ahead with Hybrid…

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) November 29, 2024

ICC meeting lasted only 15 minutes before it was decided to re-convene it in the next few days

The ICC meeting was all set to take place today on Friday (29th November). But the reports claimed that the meeting lasted only 15 minutes before it was decided to re-convene it in the next few days. The meeting will take place tomorrow and the decision is most likely to come out as well.

Few of the scenarios have emerged related to the ICC Champions Trophy, and as per the hybrid model, it is learned that all the matches of the India National Cricket Team, along with one semi-final and the final, are to be staged outside Pakistan.

Pakistan may not be one of the eight participating nations in the tournament

The other scenario suggests that if Pakistan pulls out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the entire tournament will be played outside the country. The reports claimed that if the hosts pulled out of the tournament, there is also a possibility that Pakistan may not be one of the eight participating nations in the tournament.

Even in the hybrid model, the Pakistan Cricket Board will keep its hosting rights for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The same model was adopted during the last Asia Cup. The tournament was slated to take place in Pakistan, but India didn't agree to travel,, and as a resul,t, the tournament was played in Sri Lanka as we,ll, where India played.

As per the original schedule, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played in February-March. The hosting rights were handed to Pakistan in 2021.

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