- The ICC meeting will be held online on November 29
- Various options will be discussed.
- Council leaning towards the hybrid model: sources.
KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday called a board meeting on November 29 to deliberate on the future of the 2025 Cricket Champions Trophy, scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan in February-March next year.
An ICC spokesperson confirmed that the meeting will be held online, and all board members have been provided with the agenda.
According to the sources, the meeting will discuss the future of the tournament after India refused to tour Pakistan to attend the tournament.
ICC board members will discuss various options including adopting a hybrid model, moving the entire event or postponing the tournament.
The sources also revealed that the ICC Board of Directors is leaning towards implementing a hybrid model as a primary solution. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already expressed its opposition to this approach.
The ICC Board of Directors is expected to take a final decision after considering the comments and recommendations of its members during the meeting.
The Board of Directors includes 12 full members, three associate members and an independent director.
Earlier on November 20, it was reported that uncertainty surrounding the tournament is expected to continue due to a possible delay in announcing the schedule.
The ICC has formally sought a written explanation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over its refusal after the PCB asked the ICC to provide a copy of India’s written response regarding the decision not to attend the mega event.
Beyond the Pakistani Committee’s position, the refusal of broadcasters and commercial partners to accept a schedule that does not include a match between Pakistan and India – which attracts attention and thus generates valuable revenue – has exacerbated the problems faced by the ICC.
Moreover, they have also warned of legal action if the tournament does not include a contest between the two arch rivals.
The sources said that announcing the timetable would be possible within two days if stakeholders show flexibility.
They added that stakeholders support holding the event with mutual consent.
Meanwhile, the ICC is striving to find a solution before BCCI secretary Jay Shah takes over as ICC president on December 1.
It is worth noting that in recent years, the ICC has ensured that India plays Pakistan at least once in each of its international cricket events, ensuring a major chunk of revenue from the game.
The match between the two arch-rivals in the 2023 World Cup received unprecedented attention, with 173 million viewers watching on Indian television and 225 million digital viewers.
The ICC, which has secured $3.2 billion in broadcast rights for the 2024-2027 cycle and expects an additional $1 billion in other revenue, relies heavily on big events involving Pakistan and India.
It may be noted that India has not played an international match in Pakistan since 2008. Last year, BCCI refused to send a team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, leading to a mixed format with later stages being played in Sri Lanka.
However, Pakistan visited India soon after for the 2023 ODI World Cup.