 "Champions Trophy 2025: What the PCB's 'Partnership Formula', their counter-proposal to BCCI's 'Hybrid Model' is all about")
The 2025 Champions Trophy remains in a state of limbo with the International Cricket Council (ICC) yet to resolve the dispute between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) despite attempting to hold emergency board meetings multiple times in the last one week. The BCCI has refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan and though they PCB have reluctantly opened up to the idea of the event taking place in a hybrid model, wherein the Men in Blue play their games outside of Pakistan, they have placed a few conditions in order for that to happen.
What is the ‘Fusion Formula’?
In a bid to end the deadlock with their neighbours and arch-rivals, the PCB has devised a ‘Partnership Formula’, or the ‘Fusion Formula’ which will be the same as the ‘Hybrid Model’, except for the fact that their proposal will have Pakistan playing their matches at a neutral venue in ICC events hosted by India. As per Geo News, all India-Pakistan matches will take place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates regardless of which of the two nations hosts the event.
Also Read | PCB reportedly asks BCCI for written guarantee on hybrid model in future ICC tournaments in India
The PCB had initially demanded such an arrangement be in place for the next seven years till the 2031 ICC World Cup that India is scheduled to co-host with Bangladesh. However, the new ‘Partnership Formula’ requires the ICC and the BCCI to honour the agreement for the next three years till the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will take place in India and Sri Lanka.
There were reports of the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB demanding a greater cut of the ICC’s revenue in exchange for accepting the hybrid model, though their proposed formula doesn’t make demand an additional financial incentive.
Also Read | With Jay Shah taking over as ICC chief, cornered PCB finds itself running out of options
While Pakistan will be expected to play their group matches in Sri Lanka during the T20 World Cup two years from now, it remains to be seen what arrangements are made for the semi-finals and the final should they qualify. The ICC will have to make a similar decision on the Champions Trophy, whether to host the semi-finals and the final in Pakistan or in the UAE if India reach the knockouts.
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