Shamik Chakrabarty & Subhayan Chakraborty
On a day when the International Cricket Council put out a media release at the conclusion of its Board meeting in Dubai, a report started to circulate apparently in the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) media group, purportedly claiming that the 2025 Champions Trophy was included in the Board meeting’s agenda.
The Champions Trophy next year is scheduled to be played in Pakistan in February-March and the WhatsApp post, apparently from a person who is a part of the PCB’s media wing, claimed that the tournament’s hosting has been finalised. The post was written in Urdu and its rough English translation said: “With PCB’s efforts, the Champions Trophy was also included in the ICC’s agenda. The Champions Trophy will be held in February. The first (top) eight cricket playing countries of the world will participate in the Champions Trophy.”
An ICC insider, however, had confirmed to RevSportz that the Champions Trophy wasn’t an item on the agenda in the Board meeting, while the media release from the world body, too, didn’t mention a word about the tournament. It rather focused on making the stop-clock rule permanent in all ODIs and T20Is from June this year. The ICC media release also mentioned the approval of the qualification process of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 that will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
RevSportz tried to contact the person from the PCB media department via WhatsApp calls and messages, without any response. As regards to the 2025 Champions Trophy participation, a lot will depend on the BCCI’s decision to send the Indian team across the border, which is subject to the Indian government’s clearance. “Our position depends on what the government will decide,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah told reporters in Rajkot last month, adding: “Who knows what the situation will be after a year.”
Against this backdrop, the possibility of the Champions Trophy next year being played in a hybrid model, like the 2023 Asia Cup, cannot be ruled out either. The ICC cannot force a Member board to go against its government’s decision.
In an apparent bid to show that Pakistan is safe for cricket, the PCB announced the hosting of a triangular ODI series involving Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa in February next year, before the Champions Trophy. “Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi met the Chairman of Cricket South Africa (CSA), Mr Lawson Naidoo and the Chairman of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), Mr Roger Twose,” stated the PCB release.
Naqvi said: “The Tri-series between Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand will be an exciting event and it is after a long time that Pakistan will host such a tournament. I would like to thank the heads of NZC and CSA for agreeing to participate in the Tri-series. The PCB is also looking forward to hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which will be a great pleasure for Pakistan to host the top eight ODI teams on its soil.”
All said and done, the Champions Trophy’s fate, as regards to its venue, is unlikely to be decided until the BCCI agrees to it.