With reports making rounds about the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 schedule, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is willing to make “adjustments” to its recently proposed schedule. According to several reports citing sources, the PCB is mulling to follow the hybrid model as India is unlikely to travel to Pakistan for the marquee tournament, set to be played in February-March 2025.
If the reports are to be believed, the tournament could be hosted in a hybrid model with India playing its matches in either Dubai or Sharjah. Moreover, it is believed that Indian government is unlikely to allow its team to travel to Pakistan due to political tensions between the neighbouring nations.
PCB willing to host Champions Trophy in Hybrid Model: Reports
A reliable source close to the development of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) opened up on the same. “The PCB feels that even if Indian government does not clear the tour to Pakistan slight adjustments can be made to the schedule, as in all probability India would play its matches in Dubai or Sharjah,” the PCB source told PTI.
PCB, ICC seek written response from BCCI over India’s participation in Champions Trophy: Reports
Furthermore, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pushing the International Cricket Council (ICC) to announce the official schedule of the marquee tournament, the two cricketing boards, PCB and ICC have sought for a written response from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over India’s participation in the Champions Trophy.
As per a report published by Cricket Pakistan, the ICC has instructed the BCCI to seek written response. Furthermore, it states that if the BCCI fail to give a clear response, the ICC will announce the Champions Trophy schedule with India’s matches set to be played in Lahore. “The PCB has discussed with the ICC the tentative schedule which they sent some months back and wants the same schedule announced on 11 November,” the source said.
“It has told the ICC that since a back-up plan is already in place with a revised budget there is no sense in delaying releasing a tentative schedule of the matches. The PCB wants the BCCI to give in writing whether they get permission from their government or not to send their team to Pakistan,” the source further added. Earlier, the PCB Chief had stated, “the Indian team should come. I don’t see them cancel or postpone coming here and we are confident we will host all the teams in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.”