The International Cricket Council (ICC) has started mulling over a hybrid model for the 2025 Champions Trophy after reports claimed Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the tournament. India haven’t toured Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup due to strained diplomatic ties between the two countries.
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According to a report in The Express Tribune, ICC has started discussing alternative plans in case BCCI refuses to send its team across the border.
News agency ANI had earlier reported that the BCCI has requested with the cricket’s global governing body to shift India’s matches to either Sri Lanka or Dubai.
Discussions regarding India’s concerns over not traveling to Pakistan could be held during the upcoming ICC annual conference to be held in Colombo from July 19 to 22.
The report further claimed that a “contingency budget” is being considered for the Champions Trophy matches to be held outside of Pakistan next year with Dubai a likely venue.
As per one of the proposals, the matches could be divided between Karachi and Dubai to make travel hassle free. However, Lahore and Rawalpindi are still in the picture.
Last year, BCCI cited denial of permission from the Indian government behind its decision to not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. After much deliberations, the continental tournament was co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
In the scenario of hybrid model being accepted for the Champions Trophy, there’s a possibility that one of the semi-final matches and the final could also be taken away from Pakistan.
A recent report claimed that as per the draft schedule of the tournament, which was last held in 2017, India along with Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh have been placed together in Group A while Australia, England, South Africa and Afghanistan are in Group B.
The Champions Trophy is the first global ICC event Pakistan will be hosting since the 1996 ODI World Cup which they co-hosted alongside India and Sri Lanka.
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