Champions Trophy 2025 / The stuck issue of CT 2025 will be solved on this day! ICC has made a special plan

The BCCI has refused to send Team India to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. The BCCI wants the tournament to be held in a hybrid model, where India's matches are played in a third country. The Pakistan board rejected this, and now the ICC will hold a meeting on this on November 29.

Vikrant Shekhawat : Nov 27, 2024, 07:00 AM
Champions Trophy 2025: The diplomatic and cricketing tension between India and Pakistan over the Champions Trophy 2025 has raised serious questions over the hosting and organization of this prestigious tournament. The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan, after which there is a problem regarding this tournament.

The BCCI has proposed that the tournament be held in a hybrid model, with India's matches being played in a third country. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has so far refused to accept this model. The ICC (International Cricket Council) will hold an important virtual meeting on November 29 to resolve the issue.

Important ICC meeting

An ICC spokesperson informed PTI that the virtual meeting to be held on November 29 will discuss finalizing the schedule of the Champions Trophy 2025. The meeting is taking place just two days before BCCI Secretary Jay Shah takes over as ICC President on December 1. The BCCI and other board members want the issue to be resolved before the new leadership comes in.

PCB's claim and preparation

The Pakistan Cricket Board had proposed Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi as host cities for the Champions Trophy. Notably, all of India's matches were proposed to be held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The PCB has invested heavily in the renovation of these stadiums, and their goal is to have the tournament held entirely in Pakistan.

According to media reports, if the PCB agrees to the hybrid model, the Indian team's matches can be held in the UAE or South Africa.

Experience of hybrid model

The organization of Asia Cup 2023 has tested the hybrid model. During that time, Pakistan was the host, but all the matches of the Indian team were played in Sri Lanka. This model of the tournament was successful, but the PCB is refusing to repeat it for the Champions Trophy.

Strained relations between India and Pakistan

The Indian team has not visited Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was held in 2012-13, in which the Pakistani team came to India. After this, both the teams face each other only in ICC tournaments and Asia Cup.

Way forward

The dispute is expected to be resolved in the ICC meeting on November 29. The BCCI is firm on its stand that the Indian team will not tour Pakistan, while the PCB is committed to saving its hosting. Now it remains to be seen whether the ICC is able to find a solution between these two neighboring countries or more questions arise over the hosting of Champions Trophy 2025.

This entire controversy has overshadowed the message of peace and cooperation through sports and shows how much cricket can be affected by politics and diplomacy.