Champions Trophy 2025 ICC board meeting postponed again

Web Desk LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting, scheduled to discuss the future of the 2025 Champions Trophy today (Thursday), was postponed once again due to continued disagreements, particularly stemming from India. PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, had traveled to Dubai for the meeting, but the deadlock remained unresolved due to India’s firm stance on the issue. The meeting, which was expected to be an introductory session under new ICC chairman Jay Shah, had raised hopes of significant discussions regarding the Champions Trophy’s schedule and other key matters. However, sources suggest that no decisions were made, particularly on scheduling, as Indian reluctance to participate or engage in partnership agreements was evident. Despite expectations for a resolution, the meeting was unable to address the crucial points, further complicating the future of the Champions Trophy 2025. Recently, the PCB had reportedly agreed to the BCCI’s proposal for a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, where India’s matches would be played in Dubai. However, the situation took a turn when the PCB demanded that the hybrid model be applied to all ICC events scheduled in India until 2031. This included high-profile tournaments such as the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025, the T20 World Cup in 2026 (co-hosted with Sri Lanka), the 2029 Champions Trophy, and the 2031 ODI World Cup. According to a report from The Telegraph India, the BCCI had rejected the PCB’s conditions, stating that a hybrid model was unnecessary for ICC events held in India, citing the absence of any security threat in the country.