Pakistan’s cricket authorities have taken a firm stance on hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and have informed the sport’s global governing body that a “hybrid model” for the tournament’s schedule is “not acceptable”, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source told Al Jazeera.
Pakistan is to host the eight-team men’s cricket tournament from February 19 to March 9, but India’s refusal to travel across the border has thrown the competition’s logistics into disarray.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has called a virtual meeting of its board members on Friday.
It will aim to decide the fate of the tournament and resolve the standoff between the two South Asian rivals by proposing a hybrid model to the PCB, in which all of India’s fixtures are moved out of Pakistan and played at a neutral venue.
However, a day before the meeting, the PCB asked the ICC to present alternate solutions because it is adamant on rejecting the proposal.
“The PCB has told the ICC that hybrid is not acceptable,” a PCB source requesting anonymity told Al Jazeera on Thursday.
“We have also requested the ICC to produce some workable options. It is unacceptable that India backs out of the event in Pakistan.”
In another development that could potentially cause major disruptions in cricket’s upcoming global events, the PCB also informed the ICC of its intentions to adopt a tit-for-tat approach at any tournament being held in India.
“The PCB has reminded the ICC that until India visits Pakistan, our teams will not travel to India,” the source added.
India are scheduled to host the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2025 as well as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with co-hosts Sri Lanka.
Earlier, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said he will “make the best decision for Pakistan” at the board meeting and repeated his board’s stance against the split or hybrid model.
“The Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan,” the PCB chief told reporters at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Naqvi said Pakistan “will not sell out” and agree to monetary compensation in return for accepting a hybrid model or relocation of the entire tournament to another venue.
“How can it be [fair] that we always go to India to play cricket but [they] don’t come to Pakistan?” he asked.
“Whatever happens must be on equal terms, and we have made our stance very clear to the ICC.”
According to the PCB source, the board presented its tournament security plan for the Champions Trophy to the ICC board – which includes Jay Shah, the honorary secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) – on October 21 and received no objections.
The ICC was scheduled to unveil the Champions Trophy fixtures on November 11 until the BCCI communicated its government’s decision to bar Rohit Sharma’s team from travelling to Pakistan.
For many years, India’s government has barred the national cricket team from travelling to Pakistan because of ongoing political tensions between the two neighbours.
India has not visited Pakistan since 2008, and the rivals play each other only at multiteam events.
The PCB earlier wrote to the ICC, asking for a copy of the BCCI’s concerns about travelling to Pakistan.
It has also sought advice from Pakistan’s government on tackling the issue, and Mohsin said the board will do “whatever the government says”.
The Champions Trophy will be Pakistan’s first professional men’s ICC tournament since 1996 when it co-hosted the 50-over World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan hosted the six-team Asian Cricket Council’s Asia Cup in 2023, but India’s matches were played in Sri Lanka after their government did not allow the team to travel to Pakistan.
However, Babar Azam-led Pakistan played all its matches in India when it hosted the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023.
