The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday approved the hybrid model for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy, ending a month-long deadlock over the venue for the competition. This means that hosts and defending champions Pakistan will play India at a yet-to-be-decided neutral venue.
The confusion surrounding the venue of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is over. After months of delay, the International Cricket Council (ICC) finally officially declared the venues for the elite event. “ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 to be played across Pakistan and a neutral venue,” the ICC said in a statement.
It means India will play its matches in a neutral venue, including the knockout games (if it qualifies). In another major decision, the Jay Shah-led world body has declared that all India vs Pakistan cricket matches in ICC events, hosted by the two countries, will be played at neutral venues till 2027.
The ICC 2025 Champions Trophy hosting dilemma
The crisis originates from the BCCI’s refusal to send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan, citing security concerns and strained diplomatic ties between the two countries. The stance on the issue has left the ICC and PCB scrambling for alternatives to ensure the tournament remains on schedule.
Despite India’s refusal to make the trip, Pakistan doubled down on their stance to host the tournament and rejected the ‘Hybrid Model’. This is where the tournament’s games are split between a neutral venue and Pakistan, like in the Asia Cup 2023 with Pakistan and Sri Lanka as hosts.
During the meeting, the ICC will act as a mediator, aiming to strike a balance between the PCB’s insistence on retaining hosting rights and the BCCI’s refusal to play in Pakistan. Among the proposed solutions is a hybrid model, which suggests dividing the tournament’s matches between Pakistan and neutral venues. However, the PCB has vehemently opposed this idea, arguing it undermines their authority as hosts and tarnishes Pakistan’s image as a viable destination for international cricket.
Key Discussion Points during ICC meeting
Key discussion points include the venue for high-profile matches like India vs. Pakistan, the possibility of hosting the semifinals and final at neutral locations, and the implications of moving the entire tournament out of Pakistan. There’s also speculation over whether the Champions Trophy could proceed without Pakistan, a scenario that would significantly alter the competition’s dynamics.
The key points of discussion as per the report include the groupings for India and Pakistan, hosting the semi-final and finals in a neutral venue and what is the next step should Pakistan not approve of the hybrid model. In addition, talks will also take place for the entire tournament to be held in a neutral venue as well as the possibility of Pakistan not taking part in the tournament.
Adding to the controversy, the PCB’s earlier decision to include Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) in the trophy’s tour itinerary sparked objections from the BCCI. This prompted the ICC to revise the schedule, limiting the trophy’s tour to Pakistani cities such as Islamabad and Taxila, with its journey to other participating nations beginning November 26.
The BCCI had issued a complaint to the ICC regarding Pakistan holding a trophy tour in disputed areas like the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) region, Islamabad, Taxila and Khanpur. Since the complaint, the ICC made changes to the itinerary which covers many cities across Pakistan.
The ICC Champions Trophy was last played in 2017 where Pakistan beat India by 180 runs in the final that took place in London. With the tournament’s return, it will give more importance to 50-over cricket which has been reducing in recent years with the ODI World Cup being held every four years.
However if Pakistan doesnt play it will present them in a bad shape but wont affect India’s popularity as ICC Champions Trophy will have Sri Lanka to fill Pakistan’s place and Champions Trophy will have interesting matches like there are multiple good India’s match ups: IND vs AUS, IND VS ENG, IND vs NZ and not to forget AUS vs ENG . Only fans will miss the battle between Pakistan and India in ICC tournaments.
The ‘compromise’ on the part of the ICC means that for the first time, the Indian cricket team will have to move out from its own country to play Pakistan in an ICC event, despite being the host or co-host. For a country that boasts itself to be a cricket power-house, that might hurt.
BCCI, PCB agree on hybrid model for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday approved the hybrid model for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy, ending a month-long deadlock over the venue for the competition. This means that hosts and defending champions Pakistan will play India at a yet-to-be-decided neutral venue.
“India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the ICC board confirmed,” said a statement released by the global body.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will feature eight teams — Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa — divided in two groups of four followed by semi-finals and a final.
India had refused to travel to Pakistan for the event due to security concerns. PCB had earlier declined to play the ICC Champions Trophy as per the hybrid model, but backed down after settling on neutral venues for both sides in ICC tournaments.
The hybrid model will also extend to next year’s women’s World Cup to be hosted in India and the men’s T20 World Cup 2026, to be organized jointly by India and Sri Lanka. In both competitions, the hybrid model will also apply to knockout games as well.
Pakistan will also host the 2028 women’s T20 World Cup, the first tournament of the next events cycle, and it remains to be seen whether the hybrid model will extend to that competition as well. The last edition of ICC Champions Trophy was held in 2017 which Pakistan won after beating India in the final.
The Champions Trophy controversy snowballed into a major crisis after the BCCI announced that the Indian team would not travel to Pakistan for the matches, tentatively scheduled from February 19 to March 9. This triggered a tripartite standoff involving the ICC, BCCI, and PCB. With Jay Shah assuming the role of ICC chairman during this period, it became the responsibility of the BCCI secretary to resolve the impasse.