The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to convene a virtual board meeting on Friday, November 29, to finalize the arrangements for the 2025 Champions Trophy. A key agenda item is determining whether Pakistan will host the prestigious tournament.
Scheduled to take place between February 19 and March 2025, the Champions Trophy has yet to have its official schedule released. The ICC Board aims to reach a consensus during this meeting, which is expected to provide much-needed clarity on the event’s future location.
A significant point of discussion will be the hosting model. The ICC is considering whether the tournament will be hosted exclusively in Pakistan or adopted a hybrid approach, wherein Pakistan would share hosting responsibilities with another nation yet to be determined.
This meeting follows a formal communication from the ICC to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), informing them that India has declined to participate in the Champions Trophy scheduled for early 2025 in Pakistan. In response, the PCB, after consulting with the Pakistani government, is preparing its position for the upcoming discussions.
The strained political relations between India and Pakistan have heavily influenced cricketing interactions. India has not toured Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, and the two nations last engaged in a bilateral series during the 2012-13 season in India, limited to white-ball matches. Presently, their encounters are primarily confined to ICC tournaments and Asia Cups.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has consistently upheld its stance against traveling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, citing significant security concerns. Rajeev Shukla, Vice-President of the BCCI, recently reiterated that the Indian team would only consider touring Pakistan if granted explicit permission by the Indian government.
Notably, the previous year’s Asia Cup was hosted by Pakistan using a hybrid model. Under this arrangement, India’s matches were conducted in Sri Lanka, while the remaining fixtures took place in Pakistan. This precedent may influence the ICC’s decision on whether to adopt a similar approach for the 2025 Champions Trophy.