The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly considering a change in venues for the Champions Trophy 2025 as threat looms over India’s participation in the event — which is set to take place in Pakistan.
The Indian government has not approved their national team’s travel to Pakistan for the mega event.
The uncertainty seems bigger with CEO of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Richard Gould and chairman Richard Thompson saying that there are countless alternatives if India decide not to travel to Pakistan next year, as reported by India Today.
Pakistan and India last played a bilateral series in 2013 when the Green Shirts toured the Blue Shirts.
Ever since 2008, the two have met on neutral grounds except Pakistan visiting the country during the 2011 Cricket World Cup, 2016 T20 world Cup and the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
With such conflicting tensions between the two countries, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has suggested a hybrid model for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 saying that matches of the Indian team should be held in Dubai.
Furthermore the ICC is considering and exploring three potential hosting options for the tournament with one of them being Pakistan hosting the entire tournament, as it was planned.
The cricketing body is considering a hybrid model in which Pakistan and Dubai will be the hosts. This model will allow Dubai to host India’s games, semifinals and final of the Champions Trophy 2025.
The last option the ICC is considering as per India Today is taking the entire tournament outside of Pakistan with alternative locations such as Dubai, Sri Lanka or South Africa.
Reports suggest that despite the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) retaining the hosting rights of the event, the ICC is preparing for the hybrid model or is considering to entirely change the locale of the Champions Trophy 2025.
