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The International Cricket Council's (ICC) plans for a high-profile event in Lahore next week to unveil the 2025 Champions Trophy schedule have been derailed.
The recent decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to withhold Team India from traveling to Pakistan for the tournament has created a significant hurdle.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), for its part, is unwilling to accept a ‘Hybrid Model’—a compromise that has been under consideration for months.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi recently commented, “For the last two months, Indian media has been reporting that India isn’t traveling. I discussed this with my team, and our stance is clear: they need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one. The Indian media are reporting it, but no formal communication has reached the PCB.”
In light of these developments, Cricbuzz reported that the ICC has canceled the November 11 event where the 2025 Champions Trophy schedule was to be announced.
The PCB may now be compelled to create an alternative schedule that accommodates a Hybrid Model, which could see India playing its matches in the UAE or Sri Lanka—a setup reminiscent of the 2023 Asia Cup, where India’s matches and the final were held in Sri Lanka after they refused to play in Pakistan.
According to ESPN, the BCCI earlier informed the ICC of Team India’s non-participation in Pakistan, though the exact format of this communication—whether verbal or written—remains unclear.
PCB Chairman Naqvi has emphasised the need for written objections from the BCCI to facilitate discussions with the Pakistan government on the next steps.