In what appears to be a shift from its original stance, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly expressed willingness to make "adjustments" in the schedule of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Matches involving India could be held in the United Arab Emirates, thus adopting the 'hybrid model' that is being talked about. (More Cricket News)
“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,” a PTI report quoted a source in the PCB as saying.
The Indian government is unlikely to allow the national cricket team to travel to Pakistan in the current socio-political environment due to security concerns. The last tournament that Pakistan hosted was the Asia Cup in 2023, which was conducted in the aforementioned hybrid model, with India playing their matches in Sri Lanka as the government refused to permit the players' travel across the border.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), on its part, can't force any national board to go against its government policy and it will be interesting to see as to when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) takes a final call on the matter. By the time the final call is expected to be made, ICC will be chaired by India's Jay Shah.
Meanwhile, the PCB is pushing the ICC to announce the schedule for the tournament by the coming week as some top officials of the global governing body are due to visit Lahore again then.
“The PCB has discussed with the ICC the tentative schedule which it sent some months back, and wants the same schedule announced on 11 November. 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 matches,” the source added in the report.
The report further states that PCB has asked the ICC to push the BCCI to confirm if it will send its team to Pakistan for the February-March event next year.
“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 said.
As per the tentative schedule proposed by the PCB, the marquee Champions Trophy match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is slated in Lahore on March 1 next year.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 19, 2025, with Pakistan facing New Zealand in Karachi. The final will be held on March 9 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
According to the tentative schedule, all of India's matches have been kept in Lahore for security and logistical reasons.
The PCB is spending nearly 13 billion rupees on upgrading its stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi where the CT matches would be held, the report adds.
(With PTI inputs)
