ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan Government takes a drastic step, tournament future gone

In a huge development ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan government has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to accept the hybrid model for the tournament.

Recently, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi moved to his country's government to seek their intervention after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send the Indian team for the tournament.

The BCCI had informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) about the decision of the Indian government in which they denied the team to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy. The ICC informed the PCB about India's decision which prompted Mohsin Naqvi to go to Pakistan government.

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PCB asked by Pakistan government to deny hybrid model for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

According to RevSportz, Pakistan government has denied the PCB to host the Champions Trophy in a hybrid model. Hybrid model was seen as the only way to make India participate in the tournament.

Breaking - Pakistan government denied permission to PCB they said don’t even accept hybrid model

— रोहित जुगलान Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) November 11, 2024

Since Pakistan goverment has not allowed its cricket board to host the tournament through a hybrid model, it remains to be seen what step does the PCB and ICC take next to allow smooth conduction of the tournament.

Mohsin Naqvi is likely to inform the ICC about his government's decision and the world cricket body will take a decision further. The ICC is in the middle of a huge problem because of the strained political relations between India and Pakistan.

ICC facing a huge problem ahead of Champions Trophy

With the tournament less than 100 days away, the board needs to take a quick step to ensure the tournament gets underway without any hiccups.

While the PCB has been firm in its stance to host the full tournament, the ICC had been preparing for the hybrid model since the last few months given India's reluctance to travel to Pakistan in the last few years.

The 2023 Asia Cup was also scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan but India's refusal to travel to the country meant the tournament was hosted in a hybrid model. As a result, India's matches, including the final were played in Sri Lanka.

However, the PCB has been firm this time to host the whole tournament in Pakistan. While all the other countries have confirmed their participation, India is the only country to show its reluctance to travel.

India's last travel to Pakistan

India has not travelled to Pakistan since 2008 due to the strained political relations between the two nations since the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, which had its connections with Pakistan. India last travelled to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2008, where they finished runners-up.

According to the draft schedule, the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played from February 19 to March 9. However, since the BCCI has not allowed the Indian team to travel, the schedule is likely to be moulded now.