Champions Trophy 2025: 'Hybrid model had already been signed earlier', Pakistan pace legend makes sensational claim

Amid the dispute between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the venue and schedule of next year’s ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan pace legend Shoaib Akhtar has made a sensational claim saying that a hybrid model had already been signed earlier. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had been vehemently denying talks of the Champions Trophy taking place in a hybrid model, as was the case in last year’s 50-over Asia Cup in which several fixtures were ultimately moved to Sri Lanka.

The Pakistan board, however, would finally cave in and accept the hybrid model after the ICC convened an emergency board meeting involving all the Full Members along with three Associate nations, though under the condition that a similar approach would be followed in ICC tournaments taking place in India till 2031, including the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and the 2031 ODI World Cup.

Akhtar, however, different from the PCB’s stand on the issue and urged the ‘Men in Green’ to visit India and defeat their arch-rivals in their own backyard.

“In terms of playing in India in the future, we should extend a hand of friendship and go there. My belief has always been: go to India and defeat them there—India mein khelo aur wahi unhe maarke aao (play in India and beat them on their home ground). I understand that the hybrid model had already been signed earlier,” Akhtar said on the OutSide EDGE show by DN Sport.

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The dispute between the BCCI and the PCB arose after the former refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the tournament that was originally scheduled to take place between 19 February and 9 March, citing the lack of security clearance from the Government of India due to political tensions and cross-border terrorism.

The ICC is expected to come out with a final verdict on the matter by Monday, 2 December. While the tournament taking place in a hybrid model is virtually confirmed, minute details such as the venues for the semi-finals and the final are yet to be decided. It also remains to be seen if the ICC and the BCCI accept PCB’s demand of a similar arrangement for tournaments taking place in India over the next seven years.