ICC's Key Meeting On Champions Trophy Postponed, To Happen On This Date

A key meeting of ICC to decide the fate of the 2025 Champions Trophy, that was supposed to take place virtually on Friday, has been postponed. The BCCI and the PCB has been at loggerheads regarding the host venue of the Champions Trophy. BCCI has said that the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan, the designated hosts, while the Pakistan Cricket Board has said that it is not ready for a hybrid model of hosting. The meeting will take now place on November 30.

Representatives from 12 ICC full member countries, three from associate nations, an independent director along with the ICC chairman and CEO are likely to be part of the meeting.

Meanwhile, a report in news agency PTI said that the emergency meeting of the International Cricket Council's executive board could not achieve a consensus on the much-awaited Champions Trophy schedule and will reconvene on Saturday after Pakistan once again rejected the 'Hybrid' model of hosting the event.

The meeting was brief after Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi made it clear that the 'hybrid' model won't be acceptable despite India's firm refusal to travel to his country owing to a lack of government clearance.

"The Board did meet briefly today. All parties continue to work towards a positive resolution for the Champions Trophy 2025 and it is expected that the Board will reconvene on Saturday and continue to meet over the next few days," a senior administrator of an ICC full member nation, who is also a part of the Board, told PTI.

Naqvi attended the meeting in person as he has been in Dubai since Thursday to push Pakistan's stance. BCCI secretary Jay Shah attended the meeting online. Shah will take charge of ICC on December 1. 

According to a report in the Indian Express, the ICC may place two plans in front of the panel. The first one is to hold three of India's group stage games, one semi-final and the final in a neutral country - with UAE a likely choice due to its geographical proximity to Pakistan (making it easier for other teams to travel to and fro rom the country). The second plan is that if Indian cricket team does not qualify for knockouts, both semi-finals and final take place in Pakistan.

A voting may also take place among the member boards. The majority's decision will be the final one and then PCB will have to decide its course. According to reports, the 19-day window for the tournament is February 19 to March 9.

Pakistan have the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy 2025 and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is adamant on staging the tournament completely. With India refusing to travel across the border to play in Pakistan, the likely format available to conduct the tournament is a 'hybrid model' with Pakistan hosting a majority of matches in the country while India plays its matches elsewhere.

Last year, the PCB hosted the Asia Cup in a hybrid model after India refused to travel to Pakistan. India played all its matches in the tournament in Colombo including the semifinal and final.

Earlier this month, the PCB wrote to the sport's global body seeking clarification and details regarding BCCI's decision, which had been communicated to the sport's World governing body.

The PCB has sought a written response from the BCCI, along with the date it officially informed the ICC of its position. Amid the ongoing uncertainty around the tournament, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has expressed confidence in hosting the first ICC event in Pakistan since 1996.

"We have sent them (ICC) the questions we had. We are still waiting for their response. I believe that sports and politics are separate and no country should mix the two. Even now I still have positive expectations about the Champions Trophy," Naqvi had said at a press interaction at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan, who got the Champions Trophy hosting rights in November 2021, have not hosted an ICC event since the 1996 World Cup.

With IANS  and PTI inputs