As the cricketing world awaits the official and final decision over hosting of ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and former Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said that the conditions in Pakistan, the host of the tournament, is not “sports-friendly” and not “very safe and secure”. A significant breakthrough has emerged regarding the hosting of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have reportedly reached an in-principle agreement to adopt a hybrid model for global tournaments hosted in Pakistan or India until 2027.
This model would allow both nations to play their games at ICC tournaments hosted by the other country at a neutral venue, reported ESPNCricinfo on Thursday.
Speaking on the matter, Thakur said, “India has made it very clear that the safety and security of the players are very important and we have been very consistent with our stand as far as playing in Pakistan is concerned. Till the time they do not have control or check over the terrorist activities and cross-border activities, India is not willing to play there. The conditions in Pakistan are not very sports-friendly, not very safe and secure. The decision made by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is right.”
He also said that india’s contribution to international cricket is huge and is in position to host some of the world’s biggest tournaments, having most recently hosted the 50-over Cricket World Cup last year.
“As far as international cricket is concerned, India’s contribution at the international level is huge… India is in a position to host the best of the tournaments. We have done that in the past and we can do that in the future as well. Countries across the globe love to come and play in India and the world’s most popular cricket league is played in India, the Indian Premier League (IPL),” he concluded.
Although sources confirmed the agreement to ESPNcricinfo, the PCB, the official host of the 2025 Champions Trophy, has not publicly commented, stating only that discussions are ongoing.
It is still unclear whether the hybrid model will apply to both men’s and women’s tournaments. In the ICC’s current commercial cycle (2024-27), there are three global events scheduled to be hosted in either country, the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February 2025, the women’s ODI World Cup in India later in 2025, and the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the agreement was reportedly reached after meetings between new ICC Chair Jay Shah and PCB Chair Mohsin Naqvi in Dubai. These discussions took place alongside a courtesy board meeting arranged by Shah during his visit to the ICC headquarters in his new role. A formal Board meeting to discuss the Champions Trophy is scheduled on Saturday.
The PCB’s acceptance of the hybrid model for the eight-team Champions Trophy is believed to depend on several conditions. One key condition is that the hybrid model should be applicable for all ICC events, including women’s, hosted in India and Pakistan until at least 2027, if not the entire current events cycle until 2031.
Other conditions focus on compensation for potential loss of commercial revenue if India’s Champions Trophy games are played at a neutral overseas venue. If India reach the knockout stages, then at least one semi-final and potentially the final might be played outside Pakistan. The UAE and Sri Lanka are leading candidates for these neutral venues.
The PCB has proposed arranging a tri-nation series involving India, Pakistan, and another country to offset any financial losses incurred by either board due to matches being played elsewhere.
Further negotiations between the two boards and the ICC are expected, with the final decision likely to be made at the December 7 Board meeting.
The PCB had initially planned to start the Champions Trophy on February 19, 2025 with Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi as the host cities. However, due to the ongoing impasse, the ICC has not been able to release a schedule for the event. The BCCI informed the ICC last month that it could not send its team to Pakistan without clearance from the Indian government.
Jay Shah, who recently became the youngest ICC chair at 36, has promised a “new era” for the global game. Formerly the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary from December 2019 until December 1 this year, Shah aims to elevate cricket to “unprecedented heights” in collaboration with member countries. During his first media statement in his ICC role, Shah discussed the “initial roadmap and strategies to shape the future” of the game with several directors, though not all ICC Board members were present in person.
There is also speculation about Shah’s replacement as BCCI secretary. Since 2022, Shah has also served as the BCCI’s representative on the ICC Board, holding influential positions including head of the Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee. While the BCCI has not announced who will succeed him, joint-secretary Devajit Saikia attended the ICC meetings in Dubai, indicating he could potentially be the new BCCI representative on the ICC Board.
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