ICC schedules board meeting to decide Champions Trophy's future on Friday

The fate of the Champions Trophy will be decided on Friday as the ICC has called a board meeting to address the issue.

If Pakistan does not agree to the proposed hybrid model, there are plans to strip the country of hosting rights through a voting process. Reports also suggest that financial incentives may be used to persuade Pakistan to change its stance.

However, PCB sources firmly state they will not accept any proposal involving co-hosting or additional monetary compensation and remain committed to hosting the event entirely in Pakistan.

Scheduled for early 2025, the Champions Trophy marks Pakistan’s return to hosting an ICC event after several years. However, India has continued to create hurdles, as it did recently by refusing to send its team, citing lack of government clearance just as the PCB was set to announce the tournament schedule.

Since then, pressure has mounted on Pakistan to accept the hybrid model, where some matches would be hosted in other countries. With no resolution in sight, the issue has now been escalated to the ICC Board.

A virtual meeting scheduled for Friday, November 29, will discuss the hybrid model. If Pakistan refuses to agree, ICC may resort to a voting process to relocate the entire event. In such a scenario, PCB might boycott the tournament or refuse to play against India. However, broadcasters may not support the latter option due to financial implications.

India’s strong financial influence in the ICC gives it a significant advantage, and its position will only strengthen further when Jay Shah takes over ICC’s leadership next month. Meanwhile, Pakistan is preparing for potential legal action and has already initiated consultations with lawyers in London.

PCB has invested over 13 billion PKR in renovating stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, which could face losses if the tournament is moved. While ICC may offer compensation for financial damages, PCB maintains it will not accept such offers or compromise on its hosting rights.

The 17-member ICC board includes Chairman Greg Barclay, an independent director (name yet to be confirmed), Mohsin Naqvi (Pakistan), Mirwais Ashraf (Afghanistan), Mike Baird (Australia), Faruque Ahmed (Bangladesh), Richard Thompson (England), Jay Shah (India), Bryan MacNeice (Ireland), Roger Twose (New Zealand), Dr. Musa Abdul Samad (South Africa), Shammi Silva (Sri Lanka), Dr. Kishore Shallow (West Indies), Tavengwa Mukuhlani (Zimbabwe), and associate member directors Mubashir Usmani, Mahinda Vallipuram, and Imran Khwaja (Deputy Chairman).