Former Indian all-rounder Yusuf Pathan has backed the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to not send the Indian team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, citing player safety as a priority. India has maintained its stance against traveling to Pakistan, emphasizing the security concerns for players.
Speaking to ANI in India, Pathan praised the BCCI for its player-centric approach. “The BCCI always thinks about the players and their safety. Whatever decisions they take are in the interest of the players and the nation,” he said, voicing support for the board’s firm position on the issue.
While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had initially insisted on hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan, recent developments indicate progress toward a resolution. Reports suggest that the ICC and PCB have reached an in-principle agreement to implement a hybrid model for global tournaments hosted by either country until 2027.
Under this model, India and Pakistan would play their matches at neutral venues for ICC events hosted in the other country. The Champions Trophy in Pakistan, the women’s ODI World Cup in India in 2025, and the men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in 2026 fall under the ICC’s current commercial cycle (2024-27).
The agreement was reportedly finalized during meetings between ICC Chair Jay Shah and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Dubai. These discussions coincided with Shah’s visit to the ICC headquarters in his new role and a courtesy board meeting. A formal ICC Board meeting to finalize plans for the Champions Trophy is scheduled for Saturday.
It remains unclear whether the hybrid model will extend to both men’s and women’s tournaments. However, the proposal aims to address the ongoing stalemate and allow cricketing events to proceed without compromising on security concerns or diplomatic tensions.