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PCB Rejects Hybrid Model Amidst BCCI Dispute For Champions Trophy 2025 Ahead Of ICC Meet

Aakash Saini

Champions Trophy 2025 [Source: @TheRealPCB/X.com]Champions Trophy 2025 [Source: @TheRealPCB/X.com]

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has completely rejected the hybrid model for hosting the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. While Pakistan is slated to host the tournament in its entirety, India’s uncertain participation over BCCI’s strict travel policies has prompted talks of a possible hybrid model policy, much like the 2023 Asia Cup last year.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi emphasized Pakistan’s unwavering stance on being the sole hosts of the eight-team event, scheduled to be played in February and March 2025.

PCB rejects hybrid model before top meeting

Just a day prior to a crucial meeting with the International Cricket Council (ICC), the PCB intensified its stance of being the sole hosts of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Rejecting all possibilities of co-hosting the tournament, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi told media personnel in Lahore that they want to ‘safeguard Pakistan’s interests’ even if ICC members vote for a hybrid model.

Naqvi further threatened that Pakistan will not keep participating in future events in India if the BCCI keeps refusing to send the Indian team to Pakistan, adding that such an “imbalance is not acceptable”.

It is worth noting that the BCCI and the Indian government has not allowed an Indian team to visit Pakistan since 2008 owing to the prevailing geo-political tensions shared by the two countries. The PCB, however, did send the Pakistan team to India for the 2016 T20 World Cup and for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Even the 2023 Asia Cup last year was originally slated to be hosted by Pakistan in its entirety. However, India’s reluctance prompted the PCB to co-host the tournament with Sri Lanka.

Sources close to the ongoing development have confirmed that the PCB is urging the ICC to propose an alternative plan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, as opposed to the hybrid model they followed back in September 2023.

As of now, the 2025 Champions Trophy is scheduled to be played in February and March next year across three Pakistan venues of Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. If BCCI backs out of the tournament overall, Sri Lanka will reportedly take Team India’s place as one of the eight competing nations.