Champions Trophy 2025 impasse persists as ICC meeting reportedly postponed again; Jay Shah visits head office

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meeting on Thursday (5 December) which was expected to take a "final call" on the Champions Trophy 2025 schedule has been reportedly postponed at least till Saturday (7 December). This was the second time the ICC meeting was held briefly without coming to a final decision and before being postponed.

In the brief meeting on Thursday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was asked to accept the hybrid model and it is expected to share its final opinion on Saturday, as per a report in India Today.

Meanwhile, BCCI was represented by joint secretary Devajit Lon Saikia as former secretary Jay Shah has now taken over as the new ICC chairman.

ICC likely to reject most of PCB’s demands

PCB has been opposing a hybrid model ever since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. They raised similar demand in the first meeting last Friday that lasted around 15 minutes, but ICC has given them an ultimatum to accept the hybrid model or lose the hosting rights entirely.

The Pakistan cricket body has changed its stance since then and is ready to accept the hybrid model but on certain conditions. The biggest of all is Pakistan playing their matches at neutral venues during ICC events in India under a 'partnership' formula. However, such an arrangement is not acceptable to BCCI as they don’t think the Pakistan cricket team has any security threat in India as compared to the risk involved with the Men in Blue travelling to the neighbouring nation.

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The PCB has also made a few other demands including extra compensation for India matches that will be held at a neutral venue, most likely in Dubai in UAE, and keeping the two teams in separate groups. It has reportedly also asked for approval for a tri-series including India, Pakistan, and one more team which will be played in UAE at a later date.

The ICC is expected to reject most of the demands made by the PCB on Saturday, in case a final decision is made. Though PCB is expected to get some extra compensation for agreeing to a hybrid model.

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New chairman Jay Shah visits ICC office

Meanwhile, new ICC chairman Jay Shah visited the headquarters in Dubai on Thursday and met the Board of Directors including Bangladesh’s Faruque Ahmed, New Zealand’s Roger Twose, ICC chief executive officer Geoff Allardice, deputy chair Imran Khwaja, Zimbabwe’s Tavengwa Mukuhlani, UAE’s Mubashshir Usmani, Sri Lanka’s Shammi Silva, Dr. Mohammed Abdul Samad Moosajee of South Africa and Malaysia’s Mahinda Vallipuram.

A great start at the @ICC HQ connecting with my colleagues on the Board and the ICC team. Let the work begin! pic.twitter.com/QgbDoPDdBK

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) December 5, 2024

There was no representation from the PCB during the meet-and-greet session.

“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the ICC Board members, the ICC team, and everyone who contributed to making my first day at the ICC Headquarters as Chair a truly memorable experience. This visit provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with my colleagues on the ICC Board, where we discussed the initial roadmap and strategies to shape the future of this incredible sport,” Shah was quoted as saying in the ICC media release.

“I was equally delighted to meet with the dedicated ICC team working tirelessly behind the scenes to propel cricket forward. Their passion and shared belief in the sport’s immense potential are truly inspiring, as is their enthusiasm for the exciting opportunities ahead.

“Today has been both productive and inspiring. While I am encouraged by what I have seen, I recognise that this is just the beginning. The hard work to elevate cricket to unprecedented heights starts now, and I am confident that together, we will deliver on this vision.”