Pakistan Ready to Accept Hybrid Champions Trophy Model with These Conditions: PCB
The Champions Trophy, which was awarded to Pakistan as the host country, has been surrounded by controversy, particularly due to India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament.
New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly agreed to accept the hybrid model for the 2025 Champions Trophy, but only under specific conditions that it hopes the International Cricket Council (ICC) will implement across all ICC events through to 2031. With less than three months left until the tournament, the schedule for the Champions Trophy remains uncertain, and discussions continue about where the matches will be held.
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The Champions Trophy, which was awarded to Pakistan as the host country, has been surrounded by controversy, particularly due to India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. As a result, the ICC is considering a hybrid model where some matches, including those involving the Indian team, will be played at neutral venues like Dubai, while the remaining games will take place in Pakistan. The hybrid model aims to address both security concerns and political tensions between the two countries, which have impacted their bilateral cricketing ties.
Key Conditions Set by PCB
According to sources, the PCB has laid out specific terms before accepting the hybrid model:
- India’s Matches in Dubai: All matches involving India, including group-stage games, semi-finals, and the final (if India qualifies), will be held in Dubai, as per the Indian government’s stance against sending its team to Pakistan due to ongoing political tensions.
- Backup Hosting in Lahore: If India fails to advance beyond the group stages, Pakistan has proposed hosting the semi-finals and the final in Lahore, ensuring the final stages of the tournament are held on Pakistani soil.
- Neutral Venues for India’s Matches in Future ICC Tournaments: The PCB has also suggested that, in the event India hosts future ICC tournaments, Pakistan’s matches should be played at neutral venues instead of in India. This condition stems from the longstanding political and diplomatic issues between the two nations, which have also influenced previous ICC tournaments.
- Gate Money Clause: In the case of India’s matches being held in Dubai, the PCB has insisted that there will be no sharing of gate money with the Emirates Cricket Board for these games.
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Champions Trophy 2025: The Ongoing Controversy
The Champions Trophy, which will return to the ICC calendar for the first time since 2017, is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025. Pakistan won the last edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017, while India has not won the tournament since 2013. The competition is expected to be a high-stakes event, especially given the tensions between India and Pakistan, which have made it difficult for the two countries to play bilateral cricket since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
While the hybrid model has been suggested as a potential solution, the ICC faces significant challenges in ensuring the success of the tournament. There are concerns that the absence of a high-profile India-Pakistan match could impact the tournament’s excitement and viewership, leading to financial losses. Despite these challenges, the PCB has remained firm in its stance, ensuring that Pakistan will not play in India if the situation remains unchanged.
The Way Forward
As the discussions continue, it remains to be seen whether the ICC will be able to accommodate the PCB’s conditions or if alternative solutions will be explored. The decision is expected to have a significant impact on the future of the Champions Trophy and the broader landscape of international cricket, particularly when it comes to the relationship between India and Pakistan in the sporting arena.
In conclusion, while the hybrid model appears to be a compromise, the ongoing negotiations indicate that there are still unresolved issues that could shape the final structure of the tournament. The world will be watching closely as the ICC works to finalize the details for the 2025 Champions Trophy, which promises to be a milestone event in the cricketing world.
