Pakistan in danger of losing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 entirely: Report

After months of drama over the 2025 Champions Trophy and whether it will be staged entirely in Pakistan or take place in a ‘Hybrid Model’ as suggested by India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to make a final decision in a board meeting that will be taking place on Friday.

While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refuses to entertain any discussions on a 'Hybrid Model', which is how last year’s 50-over Asia Cup was conducted, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has ruled out sending the Indian team to Pakistan due to security concerns.

According to news agency IANS, however, the tournament might end up getting moved out to a different country entirely instead of it taking place in the ‘Hybrid Model’ like last year’s Asia Cup due to the political unrest that's brewing in Pakistan at the moment.

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With supporters of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) laying seige to the capital city of Islamabad, the Sri Lanka A cricket team has decided to put the ongoing one-day series against Pakistan Shaheens on hold.

After losing the two-match unofficial Test series 0-1 and the opening one-dayer, the Sri Lankans were scheduled to play the second and third 50-over games on Wednesday and Friday this week, only for them to be called off.

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Given the timing of the unrest and the fact that the ICC had moved the Women’s T20 World Cup out of Bangladesh due to similiar political tensions that led to the ouster to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Dubai-based world body for the sport might end up making a similar decision in Friday’s meeting.

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Additionally, the Sri Lankan team’s decision to flying out of Pakistan earlier than scheduled might also lead to a sense of unease among some of the participating teams in next year’s Champions Trophy.

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The teams that finished among the top-eight in last year’s ICC World Cup in India will feature in the Champions Trophy that returns after an eight-year absence and is currently scheduled to take place in the months of February and March.

Lahore, Karachi and Rawapindi were scheduled to host matches in the ninth edition of the ‘Mini World Cup’ with Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium originally scheduled to host the final.

However, the current situation in Pakistan has made the possibility of the ICC shifting the tournament to the UAE or Sri Lanka likelier than ever.