India's 'hybrid' Champions Trophy triumph

Champions Trophy 2025 ends in India's favor, but the ‘fusion formula’ leaves fans doubting the spirit of the game.
Arslan Syed | March 10, 2025

India may have lifted the trophy for the second time, but the victory has left a sour taste in the world of cricket, failing to win over fans and leaving a tarnished legacy for the game.

Team India played all their five matches in Dubai, though it was agreed by the PCB in the ICC board meetings, but now the independent cricket fraternity has started raising objections to the ‘favored conditions’ Indian Team enjoyed throughout the tournament, while remaining seven competing teams were traveling back and forth to play their schedule games – Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi and Dubai.

It was India’s second ICC trophy in a period of just two years, first they won T20 WC in 2024, and now the Champions trophy 2025, which Pakistan was hosting nearly after three decades.

Alas! We couldn’t qualify for the semis and knocked out in the early stage of the tournament.

On Sunday, the sea of blue overwhelmed everything at the Dubai Cricket Stadium. Although Pakistan was the host, it seemed like India was hosting the tournament!

Pakistan's cricketing renaissance: A trip down memory lane...

The last time Pakistan played host to a high-profile cricketing spectacle was in 1996, when the Qaddafi Stadium witnessed the thrilling Cricket World Cup final between Sri Lanka and Australia. Twenty-nine years have passed since then, a period that has seen the rise of two new generations of cricket enthusiasts.

Despite the country's cricketing prowess, Pakistan has been deprived of the thrill of international cricket on home soil – until now; Pakistan has reclaimed its rightful place in the cricketing world by organizing a successful ICC event.

The ICC Champion Trophy 2025 promised to be an unforgettable experience, a mini-World Cup that showcased the nation's unbridled passion for the sport.

The PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi deserves credit for their proactive approach, which has resulted in the successful completion of stadium renovation work within a remarkably short period of six months. Besides, they have thwarted India's attempts to isolate Pakistan cricket on the international stage, ensuring the Champions Trophy will take place as scheduled.

Mohsin Naqvi and his team have worked tirelessly, day and night, to prevent any obstacles from arising that could deprive Pakistan of hosting the Champions Trophy.

Their relentless efforts paid off when ICC President Jay Shah (former Secretary BCCI) was compelled to announce the schedule for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan, albeit under the 'hybrid model', on December 24 last year.

The Indian media’s propaganda campaign to deprive Pakistan of hosting the Champions Trophy, which was unfortunately supplemented by some naive Pakistani journalists, is now a part of history.

Take it or leave it: PCB vs. the Big Three

Not everything was on the line! The ICC's economic model and BCCI's significant share played a big role in organizing this Champions Trophy 2025 under ‘fusion formula’. India played all five of their matches in Dubai, avoiding the need to travel back and forth like the other seven competing teams.

This lack of fairness didn't set a great precedent for future ICC events in the sub-continent. Former cricketers, including Ex. England Captain Nasser Hussain, have criticized team India’s favored circumstances.

“What about the advantage India have in playing only in Dubai — which seems to me to be a hard-to-quantify advantage, but an undeniable advantage?” former England captain Michael Atherton asked Nasser Hussain on the Sky Sports Podcast.

"They’re playing at just one venue. Therefore, the selection, you know, can focus in on the conditions in Dubai.”

The ICC's reigns are now in the hands of former BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who took over as ICC President on December 1, 2024. At a time when the ICC presidency is held by India, was it possible for Pakistan to host an ICC event solely on its soil?

ICC's current economic model, which generates annual revenue of $600 million, allocates 38.5% to India, followed by the England Cricket Board (6.89%) and Cricket Australia (6.25%). In this scenario, the PCB's demand for a 2% increase in its annual revenue share from 5.75% was a mere fantasy, although the PCB has spent Rs. 12 billion on stadium construction and renovation.

It was impossible for the "Big Three" to sacrifice their revenue share for the PCB.

The England Cricket Board has already banned its players from participating in the PSL during the domestic season. Cricket Australia's priority is India, as it was evident from the last five-Test series held in Australia, which the Australian Board had heavily promoted.

In such circumstances, not only successfully securing the hosting rights but also organizing the marquee event now provides PCB with a golden opportunity to strengthen its position at the ICC level.

The fusion formula and its impact

With Jay Shah at the helm, the BCCI lobby within the ICC will likely continue to grow stronger. The PCB authorities, led by Mohsin Naqvi, presented their four conditions at the ICC Board meeting, hoping that India would not reject them, given their own financial interests and the desire to avoid postponing of the Champions Trophy.

Despite this, it seemed the PCB failed to grasp the other side of the picture. Jay Shah has officially taken over as ICC President and Indian media's confusion about the agreement persists; it is clear that Jay Shah signed a deal that binds the BCCI to play cricket with Pakistan outside India for the next three years (the fact is, only one ICC event is scheduled; T20 World Cup 2026), which is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

If India and Pakistan qualify for the T20 World Cup 2026 final, will India agree to play the final outside India? And will Pakistan travel to India for the final?

The ICC's six-line press release did not address the issue. Is this "temporary arrangement" a deliberate move by India that the PCB authorities failed to understand? Was India's approval of the fusion formula a failure of their foreign policy stance over the past decade?

The sudden change in India's stance, after maintaining a consistent position for ten years, appears to be more than just a coincidence.

The BCCI left no stone unturned to postpone the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and, they ensured that the PCB had no option but to accept the "take it or leave it" offer. If the matter had gone to a vote, it would have meant that the Champions Trophy would not have been held in Pakistan, and the country would have lost its hosting rights.

Nevertheless, the Champions Trophy 2025 presented Pakistan with a unique opportunity to prove itself and now it’s up to the PCB, how they capitalize on this chance of reclaiming Pakistan’s lost glory in the cricketing world, once again!
WRITTEN BY: Arslan Syed

The writer has worked in the mainstream media for over 8 years as a broadcast journalist. He writes on topics including lifestyle, entertainment, public health, politics, media freedom and diplomacy. When he’s not writing, you can find him exploring breathtaking sunsets on long drives. He can be reached at syedarslan.media@gmail.com

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

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