Pakistan Cricket faces the biggest setback of the decade; ICC starts preparations for a Hybrid Champions Trophy 2025

With India unlikely to come to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, ICC are considering the tournament to be played in the hybrid model as per reports in Cricket Pakistan.

Pakistan have been given the hosting rights of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The tournament will be played between February and March 2025. Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa are the eight teams that will be playing in the tournament.

The Indian team have expressed their hesitation in traveling to Pakistan. Though they have not said it directly, the Indian media houses have almost confirmed that the team will not travel to Pakistan. The BCCI said that they will be doing as the government will ask them to. There are further reports that the BCCI might require the ICC to arrange the matches for the Indian team in either Sri Lanka or UAE.

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The hybrid model for the Champions Trophy will be a major topic of discussion at the ICC's annual conference in Colombo from July 19 to 22, where they will discuss the possibility of hosting the tournament in another country alongside Pakistan. In the meeting, the BCCI will be asked to confirm whether they will travel to Pakistan for the tournament.

As said earlier, the BCCI will need their government's green signal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. This could lead to a debate regarding the hybrid model to be followed in the tournament. Pakistan traveled to India in the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. They were given a rousing reception as well. However, security concerns remain one of the major reasons for the Indian team's unwillingness to travel to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, UAE is being considered as a potential venue to host India matches. The ICC is making contingency plans. The budget for hosting the tournament in another country along with Pakistan is the agenda of the ICC meeting. There are reports that India and Pakistan are to be placed in the same group. Group A already has Bangladesh and New Zealand alongside India and New Zealand. Group B includes Australia, Afghanistan, England, and South Africa.

The PCB might consider hosting all matches in Karachi. However, they might face backlash from other venues like Rawalpindi and Lahore. Reportedly, there also have been discussions about keeping India and Pakistan in different groups.

PCB To Remain Firm On Hosting Champions Trophy 2025

If the ICC proceeds with the hybrid model due to Indis's unwillingness, Pakistan might miss out on hosting the semi-final and the final matches of the tournament. According to the proposed schedule, the opening match on February 19 will be held at the National Stadium in Karachi, with the final on March 9 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. If UAE or Colombo becomes one of the venues, ICC will release the new schedule in due course.

Meanwhile, the PCB is not expected to agree to the hybrid and they might express the same in the meeting. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has repeatedly spoken about his willingness for Pakistan to host the Champions Trophy 2025 and is expected to stick to that decision.

In May, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla said that the Indian team would visit Pakistan for the tournament only if the Central government gave them the green signal.

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