The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially submitted its proposals to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address the ongoing dispute with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about next year’s ICC Champions Trophy. The BCCI has yet to finalize its stance.
The dispute stems from India’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing security concerns. Sources told Dawn that the PCB now supports a hybrid model, a shift from its initial rejection, while the BCCI is still deliberating its proposals to the ICC.
The ICC has yet to set a date for its Executive Board meeting to resolve the issue, leaving the future of the Champions Trophy in limbo.
Attempts to resolve the issue last week were unsuccessful. A meeting on Friday lasted only 15 minutes, was postponed to Saturday, and was delayed again due to UAE national holidays. It is now expected to occur after Tuesday.
Both cricket boards have tentatively agreed to the hybrid model, where matches between Pakistan and India occur at neutral venues. However, challenges remain. The BCCI is reluctant to move the final of any ICC tournaments it hosts to a neutral venue if Pakistan is a finalist.
If India reaches it, Pakistan has agreed to a neutral venue for the 2025 tournament final. A potential issue could arise if ICC president Jay Shah, who avoided Pakistan during the 2023 Asia Cup due to political tensions, opts not to attend the final should Pakistan qualify and India do not.
Ongoing BCCI discussions reflect concerns about Shah’s participation, given his connection to the BJP, which has a tough stance on Pakistan.
The PCB’s proposals call for fairness under the hybrid model, insisting that Pakistan would not have to play in India for ICC events. This marks a change from PCB’s earlier demand to host all Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan.
A decision is expected by the end of this week, as time is running out to finalize broadcast schedules and other logistics. The ICC had planned to announce the tournament schedule by November 20, but that deadline has passed without any resolution.
