Karachi:
Backing down from the boycott threat, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has told the ICC that it is ready to accept the ‘hybrid model’ to host the Champions Trophy next year (Champions Trophy 2025) but the world body The same system will have to be allowed to be adopted for tournaments to be held in India till 2031. A top PCB source said that the board is demanding a higher share in the annual revenue cycle to agree on this ‘hybrid model’. Is also doing. Due to security concerns, India will play its matches in Dubai in this ‘hybrid model’, including the match against Pakistan. The Champions Trophy is to be held in February-March. PCB had earlier threatened to boycott the tournament, due to which this proposal is a bit soft.
A PCB source said, ‘The current situation is that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that he will accept hosting of the Champions Trophy on the ‘hybrid model’ only if the board agrees that in future all ICC tournaments will be held on this basis. Will be based on the system and Pakistan will not go to India to play its matches. Let us tell you that India has to host three ICC men’s tournaments by the year 2031. In this, 2026 T20 World Cup will be organized in collaboration with Sri Lanka, 2029 Champions Trophy and 2031 ODI World Cup will be organized in collaboration with Bangladesh.
There may be difficulty in this matter
Given that Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are the two co-hosts of the main tournament, Pakistan will not be forced to travel to India if they also insist against it. The only point of contention could be the 2029 Champions Trophy which will be hosted entirely in India. Another controversy could be the Women’s ODI World Cup to be held in October next year, which will be held in India.
However, the uncertainty regarding next year’s Champions Trophy is expected to be resolved in the next few days as the ICC Executive Board will consider Pakistan’s new demands. The ICC Board held a brief meeting on Friday to find a solution, but no agreement could be reached. After Naqvi remained adamant on his country’s adamant stand, the world body finally told the PCB to either be ready to play in the ‘hybrid model’ or be ready to pull out of the tournament.
Pakistan also wants this
The source said, ‘Pakistan also wants its share in ICC board revenue to be increased from 5.75 per cent in the financial cycle and Naqvi is adamant on this, but he has not asked for any additional fee for hosting.’ He said, ‘People are saying that after talking to his government, Naqvi has asked for time to tell again. But we do not know whether he had gone there with the support of the government and whether he had already sought its approval to present his side in the virtual meeting of the ICC Board.
