Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 hopes hinge on accepting hybrid model

The International Cricket Council has told Pakistan to either accept the Hybrid model of hosting for next years Champions Trophy or be prepared to be ousted from the event after the PCBs adamant stand led to an inconclusive meeting of its executive board here on FridayThe emergency meeting was meant to thrash out the schedule of the event in FebruaryMarch next year but could not achieve a consensus after Pakistan once again rejected the Hybrid model despite Indias firm refusal to travel there owing to security concernsIt is understood that most of the ICC board members were sympathetic towards Pakistans situation but PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi was nonetheless advised to accept the Hybrid model as the only plausible solution for the current imbroglioIf a Hybrid model is adopted Indias share of Champions Trophy matches will be held in the UAELook no broadcaster will give a penny to an ICC event which does not have India and even Pakistan knows that The ICC meeting on Saturday will only happen if Mr Mohsin Naqvi agrees with the Hybrid Model an ICC Board source told PTI on conditions of anonymityIf not then ICC Board might have to shift the tournament entirely to a different country could be UAE too but it will be held without Pakistan he addedFridays meeting which was chaired by deputy chairperson Imran Khwaja owing to outgoing head Greg Barclays absence for unspecified reasons was brief after Naqvi reiterated his countrys position once again This was to be Barclays last official engagement before the taking of charge by new chair Jay Shah early next monthAll parties continue to work towards a positive resolution for the Champions Trophy 2025 and it is expected that the Board will reconvene on Saturday and continue to meet over the next few days a senior administrator of an ICC full member nation who is also a part of the Board told PTIAlso ReadWhy did Champions Trophy get the axe in 2017In Delhi the Ministry of External Affairs MEA reiterated BCCIs stand that that the Indian team cannot travel to Pakistan due to security reasonsBCCI has issued a statement They have said that there are security concerns there and it is therefore unlikely that the team will be going there an MEA spokesperson said in a routine briefing when the countrys Champions Trophy participation was mentionedNaqvi attended the meeting in person as he has been in Dubai since Thursday to push Pakistans stance BCCI secretary Jay Shah attended the meeting online Shah will take charge as the new ICC head on December 1It is understood that if the tournament is rescheduled the PCB will have to forego its hosting fee of USD six million along with gate revenue There could also be a significant cut to their annual revenue which is to the tune of USD 35 millionUnless the Hybrid Model is implemented even the ICC will be in a spot of bother as official broadcaster Star would then renegotiate the multibillion dollar deal with the bodyAlso ReadThis Indian veteran makes history for all wrong reasons after IPL auction snubThe only window available for the tournament is between February 19 to March 9 and all other participating nations have their bilateral engagements after thatAs things stand the PCB can negotiate for a hefty compensation for having to share the hosting rights but a full tournament in Pakistan is unlikelyPakistan also have the option of hitting back at India by not coming come for the ICC T20 Womens World Cup in India in 2025 A veteran BCCI official who has followed the politics of ICC closely explained the scenarioLook they can ask for Hybrid Model for 2025 Womens T20 World Cup but that will be a long shot As far as the mens T20 World Cup cohosted by India and Sri Lanka Pakistans matches will be in Sri Lanka mostlyThe India vs Pakistan can be decided later he addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever