Key Standoff Over T20 World Cup Final
A final hurdle remains for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as the Indian cricket board insists that if Pakistan reaches the final of the 2026 T20 World Cup, it must come to India to play. Sources indicate that all of Pakistan’s conditions except one have been accepted. However, the Indian board remains firm on hosting the final in India, which Pakistan is unwilling to accept under any circumstances.
Hybrid Model and Venue Agreement
According to sources, Pakistan and India will not play in each other’s countries until 2027. An Indian news website, India Today, reported that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a hybrid model for the 2025 Champions Trophy after an agreement between the PCB and the BCCI. Matches will be held in Pakistan and Dubai.
T20 World Cup League Stage Matches
The two boards have reached an agreement regarding the 2026 T20 World Cup. According to the agreement, Pakistan’s league-stage matches against India will not be held in India but in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The PCB will not receive any compensation for losing the opportunity to host India’s matches but will be awarded the hosting rights for an ICC women’s tournament after 2027.
Champions Trophy 2025 Schedule
The Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, featuring eight teams divided into two groups. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, followed by the final. On December 11, the PCB reaffirmed its stance on the hybrid model for matches against India during the Champions Trophy 2025. Negotiations continued in Dubai, with senior PCB officials participating.
Background and Legal Requirements
It is worth mentioning that the ICC was legally required to announce the schedule for the Champions Trophy by November 21. However, the ICC faced a significant challenge regarding the Pakistan-India dispute over the tournament. After the ICC ODI World Cup 1996 and the 2008 Asia Cup, Pakistan has finally been awarded hosting rights for a major ICC event. The matches will be played across three major Pakistani cities—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi—from February 19 to March 19.
Historic Rivalry and Refusal to Travel For Champions Trophy 2025
The BCCI has refused to travel to Pakistan, citing the Indian government’s refusal to permit the visit. Instead, it has proposed relocating its matches to a neutral venue. The PCB remains firm in its refusal to play at a neutral venue, pushing for the tournament to proceed without India. India has not played any matches in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, and no bilateral series has occurred between the two nations since Pakistan’s tour of India in 2012-13.
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Previous Instances of Hybrid Models on Champions Trophy 2025
Last year, Pakistan was set to host the Asia Cup, but India declined to travel to Pakistan. Under the hybrid model, all of India’s matches were scheduled in Sri Lanka, where India eventually won the title. Pakistan will participate in this Champions Trophy as the defending champion, having last won the tournament in 2017 under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy.