PCB considers hosting minus-India Champions Trophy 2025 after BCCI's refusal to visit Pakistan

Instead of following the 'hybrid model' suggested by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering hosting the Champions Trophy 2025 without India if the Indian team is unable to tour Pakistan.

PCB’s stance comes as the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) denied travel to Pakistan for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champion Trophy 2025. 

However, PCB has confirmed that the host nation would accept the hybrid model for neighbouring rivals. 

“The PCB has received an e-mail from the ICC, stating that the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025,” AlJazeera quoted a PCB spokesperson.

Following this, the PCB decided to go with the precedents of World 1996—when Australia and West Indies had refused to play matches in Sri Lanka—and World Cup 2003—when New Zealand refused to travel to Kenya, and England refused to go Zimbabwe. 

Sources privy to the matter believed that the PCB would present the said examples before ICC. 

“On the basis of the aforementioned precedents, the PCB can propose minus India Champion trophy,” said the sources, adding the BCCI did not share any black-and-white stance with Pakistan.

Moreover, “PCB will also stress India to appear with documented reservations,” it added. 

Besides this, the cricket board was also seeking legal guidelines from the government over the issue, as the PCB wrote the concerned authority for its suggestions.

Previously, India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup had prompted Pakistan to add a hybrid model to the plan, and matches had been held in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for them. 

Subsequently, the report revealed that Pakistan had arranged an expensive hybrid model for India, which seems the reason behind Chairman Mohsin Naqvi's rollout of the hybrid model.