As the International Cricket Council (ICC) gears up for its series of meetings in Colombo from July 19–22, a cloud of uncertainty hovers over India’s participation in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan.
The BCCI vs PCB battle over Champions Trophy 2025 set to head to ICC AGM
Well, India’s reluctance to tour Pakistan has already sparked heated discussions, and now a Times of India report claims that both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are expected to raise the issue under the ‘any other business’ category in the ICC meetings.
PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, who represents the board in the ICC AGM, will reportedly raise the matter in the meetings. The TOI report further revealed that BCCI Secretary Jay Shah will depart for Colombo on Thursday, July 18, to attend the ICC meetings, which will end with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on July 22.
With semifinals slated for Karachi and Rawalpindi on March 5 and 6, and the final of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 set for Lahore on March 9, However, if India refuses to play Champions Trophy 2025 matches on Pakistani soil, the ICC might be forced to explore alternative arrangements, and PCB is already against the hybrid model for this mega event.
PCB pushes back against hybrid model for Champions Trophy 2025
However, the ICC could have to convince the PCB of a potential hybrid model, possibly relocating India’s Champions Trophy 2025 matches to venues in the UAE or Sri Lanka, but they strongly want to hold the entire tournament on Pakistani soil. As tensions escalate, the BCCI’s stance and the ICC’s response will determine the future of the Champions Trophy 2025.
The current ICC Chairman, Greg Barclay,’s tenure will end in December 2024. However, Shah has one year left in his role as BCCI General Secretary before his mandatory cooling-off period, beginning in 2025, so his potential candidacy for the ICC chairmanship could prompt significant changes.
If the BCCI Secretary assumes the role of the ICC chairman in 2025, Barclay or his successor will have to step down mid-tenure, which will be one of the main points of discussion at the ICC AGM in Colombo.
