As BCCI and PCB fight over Champions Trophy schedule, ICC reportedly cancels next week's Lahore event

Amid the BCCI vs PCB spat, the ICC has called off the 11 November event in Lahore where they were expected to announce the 2025 Champions Trophy schedule. read more

The International Cricket Council (ICC) was planning a mega event in Lahore next week to announce the schedule for the 2025 Champions Trophy which will be hosted in Pakistan but their plans have hit a stumbling block after it emerged that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided that Team India will not travel to their neighbours for the tournament. While everyone knew that BCCI would most likely decide against allowing the Indian cricket team to travel to Pakistan, things are now set to come to a decisive conclusion.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), meanwhile, is not ready to accept a ‘Hybrid Model’ even though they have been working on it for a few months, as per a report in ESPNCricinfo.

ICC cancels Lahore event due to schedule fiasco

“In the last two months, the Indian media has been reporting that India isn’t travelling,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said recently. “I discussed this with them and my team, and our stance is clear: they need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one. The Indian media are reporting it, but no formal communication has reached the PCB.”

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Amid all the drama, ICC has called off the 11 November event where they were expected to announce the 2025 Champions Trophy schedule, reported Cricbuzz. The PCB will now most probably be required to work on a new schedule to accommodate a Hybrid Model in which India are expected to play their matches in UAE or Sri Lanka. The same route was taken when India refused to travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup and their matches including the final were held in Sri Lanka.

PCB asks for written communication from BCCI

As per a report in ESPN, the BCCI earlier this week informed ICC that Team India will not travel to Pakistan. The nature of communication, whether written or verbal, is still not clear but Naqvi wants BCCI to give their objections in writing which he will use to discuss with the Pakistan government what should be the next steps.

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The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will consist of eight teams including hosts Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, and South Africa. The eight teams will be divided into two groups of four teams followed by semi-finals and finals. The tournament is expected to run from 19 February to 9 March 2025.

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