The Champions Trophy 2025 stalemate seems to have been resolved with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) accepting the hybrid model with some riders. While there are a lot of rumours that are being floated, the truth is the Champions Trophy was always going to be played on a hybrid model, failing which it wouldn’t take place in Pakistan at all. The latest is that Pakistan might also suggest that going forward, all ICC competitions to be held in India should also follow a hybrid-hosting formula. That could be a face-saver for the PCB, for failing to hold its own within the corridors of power at the International Cricket Council (ICC). And the PCB could also ask for a marginal increase in its share of revenue from the ICC’s central pool.
One of the questions that needs to be asked here is why Pakistan was doing what it did. Would it have done the same had there been an Australian, Englishman or South African due to take over as ICC Chairman? Is it because Jay Shah is Indian and the son of the Indian Home Minister that we are being subjected to such obstinacy? Is it to queer the pitch for Shah as he takes over that Pakistan was refusing to budge from its hard stand?
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The second issue is the ground reality. Just like the USA dominates Olympic sport, in cricket, it is Indian money that greases the wheels. Pakistan can’t deny that. There is no Champions Trophy without India, and it is only natural that ICC members will rally with the BCCI if it comes to the crunch. Yes, Pakistan is important, but when there is a stalemate and the choice is between India and Pakistan, the answer will always be India. The PCB isn’t economically strong enough to take a US$ 70 million hit, and it is in their interests to eventually accept the hybrid formula, which it had once claimed was a Pakistani innovation.
For Shah, this will actually help him. He will have united every member in his favour as he takes over, and will know what to expect going forward. With England and Australia drawing much revenue from five-Test series against India, we know where their allegiance would be. England has already decided to stop sending players to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and other leagues, and the IPL will be the only exception. This decision validates India’s unique status in world cricket, and the faster Pakistan acknowledges it, the better it is for the PCB. That Shah was elected unopposed is a telling statement of India’s clout, and there is no shying away from these truths when it comes to the sport and its governance.
In sum, the PCB has no option but to accept the hybrid model. If it refused, it would have seen the tournament go out of Pakistan and lost close to 1400 crores, which it can ill afford given its financial condition. Yes, it can say that going forward, Pakistan will not travel to India. But as we all know, the statement will be more of a face-saver than anything else. The decision is already out there for everyone to see and acknowledge. Finally, will all this posturing dent the PCB’s credibility? The jury is out.
Also Read: Pakistan Cricket Board to get a reality check and possibly lose Champions Trophy hosting rights