Where will the Champions Trophy be played? ICC to take final call after November 29 meeting

November 26, 2024

The ICC has called for a board meeting on November 29, hoping to get a clear answer on where and how the 2025 Champions Trophy will be played. With India not willing to travel to Pakistan and with Pakistan refusing to back down and adopt a hybrid model that allows India to play their games in a second country, it is likely members will be asked to vote on a solution. ESPNcricinfo understands the meeting will be virtual and a final decision could be taken after the ICC Board arrives at a consensus.

While the window for the eight-team ODI tournament has been earmarked between February 19 and March, the ICC has not announced the dates as well or a schedule formally. Normally, for a global tournament, the ICC has in the past announced the schedule 100 days prior to the event.

The reason for the delay is the Indian government’s refusal to allow Rohit Sharma’s team the permission to travel to Pakistan. That decision was communicated to the ICC a fortnight ago. The PCB, who were awarded the hosting rights for Champions Trophy in 2021, subsequently wrote to the ICC posing several questions around the exact reasons BCCI had given, and when they informed the ICC. According to a PCB official, they have not received a response from the ICC to date.

The PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has remained steadfast about hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan, at three venues: Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Last week he said he would be open to a dialogue with the BCCI to break the deadlock. An ICC spokesperson confirmed Friday’s meeting, but the PCB has made no comment so far.

The ICC Board comprises representatives from the 12 Full Member countries, three representatives from Associates, an independent director along with the ICC chairman and CEO. The meeting comes right at the end of the tenure of the current ICC chair Greg Barclay. This will be the last board meeting he chairs before, on Sunday (December 1st), he is replaced by Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary and a key figure in the Champions Trophy matter.

Naqvi, the PCB chairman, is also a key figure in the Pakistan government, as its interior minister. Over the last couple of days he has been preoccupied in Islamabad in an effort to quell political protests by PTI, the party of former premier (and captain) Imran Khan.

Additional reporting by Osman Samiuddin

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