ICC to discuss future of Champions Trophy 2025 today

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will hold a virtual meeting on Friday to discuss the future of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which faces uncertainty due to India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the event.

According to reliable sources, multiple options are being considered, including the possibility of hosting the tournament in Pakistan without India. However, this scenario is deemed highly unlikely, given India’s significant commercial influence in the sport.

One alternative proposal on the table is a hybrid model, where most of the tournament would take place in Pakistan, with matches involving India held at a neutral venue, likely in the UAE.

While sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have rejected this hybrid approach, ICC sources suggest that it remains a potential option.

If proposed, the PCB is expected to insist that no Pakistan matches, including the crucial group match against India, be held outside Pakistan.

The ICC faces pressure to ensure the inclusion of a Pakistan-India match, as a tournament without such a fixture is unlikely to draw significant attention or financial backing.

Other possibilities under consideration include relocating the entire event to a neutral venue or postponing it to a later date.

There is also speculation that the ICC may consider stripping Pakistan of its hosting rights, a move that the PCB has strongly opposed.

The PCB has formally requested the ICC to present detailed, workable proposals ahead of the meeting and has also called on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to submit its reasons for refusing to tour Pakistan, supported by evidence.