ICC Champions Trophy 2025 to move out of Pakistan? Massive update arrives from PCB as they run out of..

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are facing multiple challenges as the host of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The tournament will be played in February next year.

After the previous event in 2017, the tournament is set to be held again in Pakistan in 2025. The tournament will feature the top 8 teams and will be played in the ODI format. Afghanistan after their notable performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup have secured qualification for the tournament.

India, Australia, England, Pakistan (Hosts), South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have qualified for the tournament. Teams like Sri Lanka, West Indies, Ireland, and the Netherlands have failed to qualify.

Meanwhile, the PCB faces logistical and security concerns as it braces up for the challenge to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Last year, the PCB signed the hosting agreement for the tournament in Dubai.

“PCB management committee chairman Mr Zaka Ashraf was joined by ICC General Counsel Jonathan Hall in the signing of the hosting rights to Pakistan at the ICC headquarters,” the PCB said in a news release.

Pakistan were adamant about hosting an ICC event for a long time but now seems to be under-prepared to host such a big tournament. Meanwhile, PCB recently signed a big financial deal to upgrade three major stadiums for the event and address numerous other unresolved issues.

India Unwilling To Tavel To Pakistan For ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Increases Problems For PCB

Meanwhile, the bigger problem for PCB and The Pakistan national cricket team lies in India’s unwillingness to travel to Pakistan to play in the event. The Indian government have not allowed the Indian cricket team to travel to Pakistan and participate in any bilateral event since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. Since then both the teams have been playing in ICC tournaments.

Pakistan did travel to India to play in the ICC 2023 World Cup but the chances of India travelling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025 seem very bleak. Pakistan thus might need to adopt the hybrid model like the 2023 Asia Cup which might increase expenses as assumed.

As per reports, India are keen to play the Champions Trophy matches on their home grounds. However, nothing is confirmed from Pakitan and PCB’s side. In such a scenario, the UAE is being looked at as an alternate option.

The scheduling of the event remains another big concern. The Champions Trophy might be played in February next year which might clash with prominent T20 leagues across the globe. like the Pakistan Super League (PSL), SA20, Bangladesh Premier League, and ILT20. The IPL closely follows between March and May. PSL 9 is on at the moment and the dates for the next season are not finalized yet.

Mohsin Naqvi, the newly-elected PCB Chairman is all set to be a part of the meeting with ICC next week to discuss with the ICC and members of the Indian Cricket Board how to resolve the impending matters that might come as an obstacle to Pakistan hosting the next Champions Trophy. He will be having an open discussion on matters of logistics and security with the ICC.

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