Reports suggest possible rearrangements for the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. Initially slated to take place in the West Indies and the USA, the T20 World Cup might move to Scotland and Ireland. Meanwhile, Pakistan, the original host of the Champions Trophy, might see this tournament switched to the West Indies and the USA.
These speculative changes that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering adjustments are primarily due to scheduling challenges faced by the United Kingdom. The UK can only host events during the May-June window, which aligns with the original schedule for the 2024 tournament, making Scotland and Ireland suitable alternatives for the T20 World Cup.
Moving the Champions Trophy to the West Indies and the USA allows an additional year for the USA to enhance its hosting infrastructure. Given the fewer matches in the Champions Trophy than the T20 World Cup, it appears to be a more logistically feasible option for the West Indies and the USA.
However, the current state of infrastructure in the USA has raised concerns. “The infrastructure situation in the USA is hardly promising. Even if they successfully host the upcoming Major League Cricket, the T20 World Cup is a completely different league. The lack of ready venues could pose significant problems, and the broadcasters in the sub-continent, where returns are typically high, might face potential financial losses with a lengthy tournament in the far west,” a source reported.
Furthermore, it was reported that no official hosting agreements have been signed by the countries involved in the hosting arrangements. These agreements could begin in July during the ICC annual conference in Durban. The ICC might propose switching to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), potentially offering them monetary compensation for the alteration.
