PCB has taken a stern stance on hosting the Champions Trophy 2025 solely within its borders, coming out flat against any thought of hybrid format.
The PCB has reportedly stated that it will withdraw from the 2026 T20 World Cup, to be jointly shared by India and Sri Lanka at the time, if the Indian team does not visit Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. Citing Geo News, the PCB is going to insist on hosting the whole tournament in Pakistan and rebuff any hybrid models at the ICC annual conference from July 19-22 in Colombo.
The stance should be taken in view of reports that the Board of Control for Cricket in India has resisted sending its team to Pakistan, which is hosting the event in February and March next year. India has not toured Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup because of political tensions and security issues.
The BCCI has floated the idea that it might request the ICC to consider a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy under which India's matches are considered at a neutral venue.
The bilateral cricketing relation between India and Pakistan has been a problem since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which was followed by the event of suspending the bilateral series. The last time India visited Pakistan was back in 2008 for the Asia Cup. Since then, the two teams have faced each other only in ICC events and in the Asia Cup in neutral venues.
The same happened during the Asia Cup 2023: the refusal of BCCI to visit Pakistan led to the adoption of a hybrid model, allowing the event to go through but costing Pakistan the hosting rights for its semifinal and final matches—a development, ironically, that further resolved the PCB to hold the Champions Trophy 2025 on its own sovereign territory.
Now, the ICC is going to be in a pretty delicate position as it would have to not only satisfy the interest of both the cricketing giants but also somehow uphold the integrity of international competitions. The matter is supposed to get a turn-around in the forthcoming ICC Annual Conference that is going to take place at Colombo, in which the PCB would strongly oppose any hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Read also | Watch | 5th T20I: India beat Zimbabwe by 42 runs, win series 4-1
