Champions Trophy 2025: New host country emerges if Pakistan rejects hybrid model

In the wake of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision not to send its team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) now faces the challenging task of deciding whether to retain hosting rights or explore alternate options.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is adamant about hosting the event in Pakistan but may have to reconsider if the International Cricket Council's (ICC) proposed hybrid model, allowing for split venues, fails to gain consensus.

According to media reports, should the hybrid model be rejected, the tournament may be moved entirely to South Africa.

The ICC has proposed a compromise to address India’s security concerns: Pakistan would host most of the tournament, while India’s games—and possibly the final—would take place in Dubai, UAE. This model is intended to uphold Pakistan's role as the primary host while meeting India’s safety stipulations.

Naqvi, however, stated that no formal talks on this hybrid option have occurred and warned against expecting Pakistan to always make concessions. "Till today, no one has discussed any ‘Hybrid Model’ with us nor are we willing to talk about it. But we have been showing good gestures for the last few years, and no one should expect us to do it all the time," Naqvi remarked at a press briefing at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

PCB officials confirmed that the BCCI, citing government advice, officially informed the ICC that they would not send their team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. This communication was then relayed to the Pakistani government for guidance on further action.

"The PCB has received an email from the ICC, stating that the BCCI has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025," said a PCB spokesperson. "We have forwarded this email to the Government of Pakistan for their advice and guidance."

The ICC’s recent cancellation of an event in Lahore—where the Champions Trophy 2025 schedule was to be unveiled—has fueled further uncertainty about the tournament’s structure. This scenario echoes the 2023 Asia Cup, where a hybrid hosting arrangement saw India’s matches held in Sri Lanka.

An ICC source, responding to the delay in finalizing the schedule, noted, "The schedule is not confirmed, we are still in discussions with the host and participating nations on the Champions Trophy schedule. Once confirmed, we will announce it through our normal channels." The ICC has not yet responded to questions regarding the cancellation of the Lahore event.

The situation has created ambiguity over India’s group-stage fixtures, initially set for Lahore: Bangladesh on February 20, New Zealand on February 23, and Pakistan on March 1. If the hybrid model is adopted, these matches, along with others across Pakistan’s planned host cities—Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore—may be moved or rescheduled to ensure the completion of the tournament's 15 matches.