The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to award Pakistan another event in light of the financial losses incurred due to India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
A meeting of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Governing Board was held yesterday in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Mohsin Naqvi, where updates on the Champions Trophy were provided.
Sources revealed that in the meeting, Naqvi confirmed that negotiations with the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had been finalized.
While there were delays in putting the agreements in writing, the schedule for the Champions Trophy is expected to be released within the next couple of days.
Naqvi added that India had agreed to compensate Pakistan for the financial loss caused by their team’s refusal to tour.
However, Pakistan chose to uphold national dignity and did not agree to the offered monetary compensation. Instead, they proposed a model where, for the next three years, neither country would send its teams to the other’s country for ICC events.
Additionally, the ICC has awarded Pakistan the hosting rights for a Women’s Tournament in 2028. When it was pointed out that no other tournament would be hosted in Pakistan during the next three years, the ICC assured PCB that an event would indeed be held in the country.
This promise will serve as compensation for the financial damage caused by India’s withdrawal from the Champions Trophy.
The meeting also highlighted that while the ICC is expected to announce details for the Champions Trophy, the three-year agreement regarding team travel may not be revealed at this time, though it could be in the future.
Moreover, Pakistan made it clear to the ICC that if their demands were not met, they might take extreme measures, though the specifics of such actions were not disclosed.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a hybrid model for the 2025 Champions Trophy, with Pakistan and Dubai set to co-host the tournament. The decision comes after weeks of discussions and an eventual agreement between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Under the new arrangement, matches will be split between Pakistan and Dubai, ensuring participation from all teams while addressing security and logistical concerns raised by some boards.
Reportedly, PCB and BCCI have also reached an understanding regarding the T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan will not travel to India for their league-stage match against the arch-rivals. Instead, the high-profile clash will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
While the PCB will not receive any financial compensation for the adjustments, they have secured the hosting rights for an ICC Women’s tournament after 2027.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025. Pakistan, the defending champions, clinched the title in the previous edition held in 2017.
The PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) will host the Champions Trophy in 2025, with Pakistan scheduled to host 10 matches of the tournament. However, all three of India’s league matches, including the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan, will be held in Dubai.
Additionally, the semifinal and final of the tournament are also slated to take place in Dubai. If India is eliminated after the league stage, the semifinal and final will instead be held in Lahore and Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have kept the two countries from playing bilateral series since 2012-13, with both teams only meeting in ICC events and the Asia Cup. India has not travelled to Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup due to strained political relations.
A similar hybrid model was used during the 2023 men’s 50-over Asia Cup, where India played their matches, including the semi-finals and final, in Colombo, while Pakistan hosted the rest of the tournament.
