ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Venue Deadlock escalates; Decision to be finalised through voting

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is due to start in less than two months but there is still no clarity on the tournament's venue. While Pakistan is the designated host for the tournament, the tournament could be played in a hybrid model due to India's reluctance to play in the country.

All the cricket boards of the eight participating nations have confirmed their travel to Pakistan except India. A few days ago, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that they hadn't got the clearance from their government to send their team to Pakistan.

Since the International Cricket Council (ICC) is unlikely to organize the Champions Trophy without India, they are looking to go for a hybrid model in which India will play its matches outside Pakistan. However, it will be a big challenge for the ICC as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already indicated that they are not prepared to host the tournament in a hybrid model.

Watch: Harshit Rana-Mitchell Starc collide on the field; Australian pacer sledges KKR teammate

Decision on ICC Champions Trophy 2025 to be finalized through voting

An emergency ICC board meeting will take place on November 26 (Tuesday) in which a final call will be taken on the venue of the Champions Trophy. The representatives of the BCCI, PCB, and all the other board members will virtually join the meeting.

Emergent ICC board meeting to take call on #ChampionsTrophy2025 on Tuesday. BCCI PCB including all board members to join the meeting virtually.

— Nitin K Srivastav (@Nitin_sachin) November 22, 2024

The ICC is hopeful that the PCB will accept the hybrid model which seems to be the way forward to host the Champions Trophy. The PCB has so far made it clear that they would not allow the tournament to go outside Pakistan and want to host the whole tournament in the country.

What happens if PCB doesn't accept a hybrid model?

In case the PCB refuses to accept the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy despite repeated efforts, the matter will be decided through voting among the 12 full members and 3 associate members of the ICC. The meeting will be keenly observed by cricket followers across the globe.

India has not travelled to Pakistan since 2008 when they travelled the country for the Asia Cup. However, the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which had connections with Pakistan, ruined the political relations between the two countries and reduced the cricket between the two nations.

The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was played in 2013 when Pakistan travelled to India for a T20I and an ODI series. Pakistan's last travel to India was in 2023 for the ODI World Cup.

Asia Cup 2023 in the hybrid model

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

Despite India refusing to travel for the tournament, Pakistan travelled to India for the ODI World Cup. However, the PCB is adamant this time to host the whole tournament in their own country.