 "Representational image. Reuters")
The International Cricket Council (ICC) will be hopeful of coming to a final decision on next year’s Champions Trophy, a decision that all parties – including and especially India and Pakistan – can agree on in the board meeting that is set to take place on Friday, 29 November . The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had been awarded hosting rights for the event in 2022, with Pakistan the current holders of the trophy, having defeated India by 180 runs in the final of the 2017 edition at The Oval, the last time the tournament had taken place.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), however, has categorically refused to send the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team to Pakistan for the ninth edition of the ‘Mini World Cup’ – the tournament that the Men in Blue had won in 2013 and had shared with Sri Lanka in 2002. The Indian board cited the lack of a security clearance from the Government of India as the reason behind their inability to send the Indian team across the border, leading to an impasse between the two boards that the ICC will be hopeful of resolving in Friday’s meeting.
Here are some of the options that are likely to be discussed in Friday’s virtual meeting that will be attended by representatives of all 12 Full Members along with three Associate Members and the ICC Chair:
‘Hybrid Model’
Last year’s 50-over Asia Cup was supposed to be hosted entirely in Pakistan, only for the BCCI to refuse to send the Indian team to their neighbouring country much like they are right now and get a majority of fixtures, including their own and the final, moved to Sri Lanka.
While conveying its decision to not send the Men in Blue to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy , the BCCI had insisted on India playing its matches at a neutral venue, thereby resulting in the tournament taking place in the same manner as the continental event last year.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsPCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had initially refused to entertain any discussions pertaining to a ‘Hybrid Model’ and continues to stand by its original stance.
“Pakistan will not keep participating in events in India while Indian authorities keep refusing to send their teams to Pakistan. Such an imbalance is not acceptable,” Naqvi told reporters in Lahore on Wednesday, two days before the ICC board meeting. “Our stance is well known. We will safeguard Pakistan’s interests.
Ex-Pakistani cricketer | Broadcaster won’t agree to Champions Trophy being held in ‘Hybrid Model’
One of the reasons why the PCB might reluctantly accept the ‘Hybrid Model’ is because of the financial benefits that come with hosting duties. Pakistan were expected to earn up to US$65 million in hosting fees from the ICC for the Champions Trophy, and will receive “ additional financial incentives ” if they jointly host the event with another country.
Moving the tournament outside Pakistan
If the PCB continues to turn down offers of the tournament being hosted in a ‘Hybrid Model’, then the ICC might be forced to shift the tournament out of Pakistan, with UAE and Sri Lanka likely to take over hosting duties. The chances of the Champions Trophy taking place entirely in Pakistan also took a hit recently following a political unrest in the capital city of Islamabad that has led to the suspension of an ongoing one-day series between Pakistan Shaheens and Sri Lanka A.
Supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf had laid seige to the capital, which will have severely dented Pakistan’s image of a nation where international cricket can be conducted without any safety concerns. Sri Lanka A’s withdrawal from their ongoing tour of Pakistan with two matches still to play could spark concern among some of the teams, which could end up getting conveyed in the upcoming meeting.
PCB chief Naqvi, however, had previously threatened to boycott India across all events in the future if the Champions Trophy was moved out of Pakistan. Though the two neighbours and fierce rivals have not played a bilateral series in any format since 2012-13, they continue to lock horns in ICC and ACC events, where their matches often become the marquee fixture of the tournament, generating record numbers in terms of attendance and viewership.