Champions Trophy 2025, ICC Meeting Highlights: Meeting reportedly postponed amid ongoing uncertainty

It’s a proper mess right now and ICC should take responsibility for this. ARY News of Pakistan is saying the Champions Trophy 2025 ‘hybrid model’ is finalised, while some media reports are stating that today’s ICC meeting has been postponed.

“International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) agreed to adopt a hybrid model for the global tournaments hosted in Pakistan and India until 2027,” a report in ARY News says.

A report in Geo News says that the Saturday ICC meeting has been postponed as BCCI has not responded to PCB’s demands.

“Sources told The Telegraph on Tuesday that the BCCI has sent a clear message to the ICC brass in this regard leading to a fresh impasse. The BCCI’s contention is simple — there is no security threat in India and hence no question of accepting such an arrangement,” a report recently stated.

Hence it has come as a big surprise that BCCI is happy with Pakistan not coming to India for ICC events, at least till 2027.

The trophy tour for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy got underway in host nation Pakistan on 16 November and had arrived in Afghanistan recently, where it had been put on display in Kabul among other places.

The trophy will head to Bangladesh next, where it will be put on display from 10 to 13 December followed by the SENA nations – South Africa (15-22 December), Australia (25 December-5 January), New Zealand (6-11 January) and England (12-14 January).

The trophy will then arrive in India (15-26 January) before concluding its tour in Pakistan.

India have not travelled to Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, in which the Men in Blue suffered a 100-run defeat against Sri Lanka in the final in Karachi. They were scheduled to tour Pakistan in early 2009, but ultimately cancelled it in the wake of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.

Sri Lanka took their place, but were forced to abandon the tour after they were attacked by unidentified gunmen in Lahore during the second Test.

Pakistan, however, would tour India for a limited-overs series in 2012-13, which happens to be the last time the two arch-rivals have played bilateral cricket.

The trophy tour for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy that had got underway on 16 November in Pakistan made its way to Afghanistan recently, with the who’s who of Afghan cricket posing with the coveted silverware.

The trophy tour will then head to Bangladesh where it will be put on display from 10 to 13 December.

Look, what we've got on Afghan Soil! 🏆

The Champions Trophy has made its way to Afghanistan, the heart of majestic mountains and beautiful valleys, where every view is like a little piece of art. This is especially true in the vibrant capital, Kabul, where the country's charm… pic.twitter.com/oAwv3odvMR

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) December 2, 2024

Jay Shah meets with various representatives of various boards after becoming the youngest chairman in ICC history.

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

While Pakistan had been awarded hosting rights for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which is expected to take place in a ‘Hybrid Model’, India is scheduled to host three ICC men’s events in the next seven years.

The BCCI will co-host two of those events – the 2026 T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka and the 2031 ODI World Cup with Bangladesh – while entirely hosting the 2029 Champions Trophy. India is also scheduled to host the ICC Women’s World Cup and the ACC Men’s Asia Cup next year.

Broadcaster Star India has fired a warning to the ICC regarding India’s absence from the Champions Trophy, which was scheduled to be hosted entirely by Pakistan but remains in a state of suspense following the BCCI’s refusal to send the Indian team to their neighbouring country.

According to The Times of India, Star India has warned that the Champions Trophy will lose 90 per cent of its value if India pull out of the tournament while Pakistan’s absence will only lead to a 10 per cent loss ( **READ MORE**)

The ICC ook a major step towards achieving a solution in the deadlock between the PCB and the BCCI over next year’s Champions Trophy on Thursday. According to PTI, the BCCI has agreed to the PCB’s demands of Pakistan playing its matches in ICC events in India at a neutral venue in exchange for India playing their games in next year’s Champions Trophy in Dubai.

Jay Shah, who had been elected unopposed to the role of ICC chairman, is believed to have played a major role in the development after an informal meeting with board members at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Thursday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have been at loggerheads with one another ever since the latter refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy for next year’s Champions Trophy, which has put the tournament in a state of limbo with less than 100 days to go.

Latest reports, however, suggest that the ICC has been able to achieve a resolution between the two rival boards.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the ICC board meeting that will be taking place later on Saturday, 7 December, in which the global governing body for the sport will be hopeful of finding a resolution between the PCB and the BCCI and announcing a final decision on the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Stay tuned for more updates.