ICC Champions Trophy 2025: PCB accepts hybrid model, but puts India in tough spot with bold demand

In a huge development, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed to play the marquee ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in a hybrid model.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has put forward a bold demand, stating that the International Cricket Councill (ICC) will have to implement the hybrid model to all the tournaments beyond Champions Trophy 2025 till the year 2031.

Also Read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Kamran Akmal demands end to India vs Pakistan cricket matches

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan Cricket Board willing to accept a Hybrid Model - PCB source

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source told PTI that the board is ready to accept the hybrid model if ICC agrees to implement the same policy for all the ICC events.

"Pakistan Cricket Board willing to accept a Hybrid Model for next year’s Champions Trophy and play India in Dubai if ICC implements the same policy for all its events going till 2031," a PCB source told PTI.

Pakistan Cricket Board willing to accept a Hybrid Model for next year’s Champions Trophy and play India in Dubai if ICC implements the same policy for all its events going till 2031: PCB source to PTI. pic.twitter.com/CQ77vC0nZv

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 30, 2024

Some reports also suggest that the Pakistan Cricket Board has demanded an increase in their annual ICC revenue, which is currently 5.75%, as well as an increase in hosting rights fee, which is 65 million.

PCB wants a hybrid model for these ICC events

There are four International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments that India will be hosting till 2031 while acting as co-hosts in a couple of them.

These tournaments are the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2029, and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2031.

Out of the aforementioned competitions, India will be co-hosting the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 and ICC Cricket World Cup 2031 with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. So, there won't be any issues in accepting the hybrid model for these tournaments as Pakistan can play their matches in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

However, the real problem will arise in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 and the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2029 as these tournaments are set to be played entirely in India.

The final decision on Champions Trophy 2025 to be made official soon

An ICC meeting board was held on Friday, November 29, to discuss the matters related to the marquee competition, which is set to be hosted by Pakistan.

The meeting only lasted around 15 minutes, and the BCCI received support from all ICC board members over their hybrid model stance. Pakistan Cricket Board, however, was against it, and it was adamant about hosting the entire competition on home soil.

After that, a clear message was given to all the board members present that a new meeting would take place only after the PCB accepted the hybrid model.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was left alone and was given the option to either accept the hybrid model or withdraw from the competition and lose the hosting rights.

Meanwhile, recently Mohsin Naqvi had a meeting with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) head Mubasher Usmani to discuss the Champions Trophy matters.