Decision on Champions Trophy venue on November 29: ICC calls board meeting; PCB has refused for hybrid model

Champions Trophy may start in February 2025.

The decision on the venue of Champions Trophy 2025 will be taken on November 29. ICC has called a board meeting for this. According to the report of ESPN, it will be clear from this meeting whether the Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan only or it will be shifted to hybrid model.

BCCI has already refused to go to Pakistan. After which Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused for the hybrid model. The schedule of the Champions Trophy can also be announced in the meeting to be held on November 29. There will be a virtual meeting of all the boards on this day.

PCB had made Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi the venues.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had released the probable schedule of the Champions Trophy a few months ago, which will start from February 19 and continue till March 9. Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi were made the venues for the tournament.

In this schedule, PCB had proposed to hold all the matches of Team India in Lahore citing security. However, BCCI still refused to send Team India to Pakistan for the tournament. Due to political relations between the two countries and security arrangements in Pakistan, the Indian team has not gone to Pakistan since 2008.

Pakistan got the stadium re-constructed

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is continuously preparing for the Champions Trophy 2025. PCB has almost completed the work of all three stadiums. They have spent 12.5 billion Pakistan Rupees on the renovation of Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi stadiums.

Whereas the Indian government had already refused to send its team to Pakistan. BCCI had told ICC that the team will not play the tournament in Pakistan. If Pakistan does not agree to the hybrid model, then the tournament may shift to another country.

Photo of renovation of Gaddafi Stadium in Pakistan. Credit-PCB

ICC asked BCCI – tell the reason for not sending Team India to Pakistan

ICC had sought a written reply from BCCI for not sending the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. ANI quoted the report of Pakistani channel Geo News and wrote, PCB has asked for a written copy of India’s reply from ICC.

PCB had written to ICC – Why can’t Pakistan come to India?

Pakistan Cricket Board had sought answers from ICC regarding Team India not going to Pakistan. According to the report of Cricbuzz, PCB spokesperson had said that there is no security problem in Pakistan. That is why teams from New Zealand, England and Australia visited here. When these teams can come then why not Team India?

India did not go to Pakistan in Asia Cup, hybrid model was adopted

India defeated Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final of the Asia Cup.

The Asia Cup was played in September last year. Pakistan had got the opportunity to host it, but India had refused to go to Pakistan. After this, ACC conducted this tournament in hybrid model. All of India’s matches were played in Sri Lanka and the rest of the tournament took place in Pakistan. Pakistan played its match against India in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan team came to India for ODI World Cup

Pakistan team came to India last year to play the ODI World Cup. Then the match between India and Pakistan was played in Ahmedabad on 14 October. The Indian team won this match by 7 wickets. Captain Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer had scored fifties. Jasprit Bumrah became the player of the match. He took 2 wickets for 19 runs.

India is not going to Pakistan after the terrorist attack in Mumbai

The Indian team has not toured Pakistan since 2007–08. After the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008, the Indian government refused to play cricket in Pakistan. Since then both the teams play only in ICC and ACC tournaments. Since 2013, both the teams have played 13 ODIs and 8 T20 matches at neutral venues. There was also a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan during 2009.