ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Hosting Rights of Pakistan Uncertain
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Question mark over hosting rights of Pakistan remain, hybrid mode likely
Several reports indicate uncertainty over the host nation for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as the International Cricket Council is considering other options besides Pakistan as its venue. Though given to Pakistan, the hosting rights have a hybrid model of hosting by both Pakistan and the UAE.
Pakistan’s Hosting Rights Still Intact
Reports further suggest that even while some discussions are on, Pakistan is still a host for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. However, the practicality of conducting the whole tournament in Pakistan has the ICC seeking alternatives. A hybrid model is proposed whereby the matches will be held both in Pakistan and in the UAE.
This would be a major compromise, whereby Pakistan would retain the official hosting rights of the event while assuaging potential travel and security anxieties amongst the other teams, most importantly from its arch-rival India. The hybrid model is almost certain to see India play all its matches, including knockout ones, unless their opponents are also bilateral series opponents of Pakistan, in Dubai.
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Full Relocation Possible
Besides this hybrid model, there is also talk of shifting the whole tournament out of Pakistan. In such a case, Dubai, Sri Lanka, and South Africa are the tentative options to host the event. Each one of those countries has experience in hosting international cricket events and can replace it should it come to that.
However, PCB remains confident that the Champions Trophy will go through as per schedule, with PCB Chairperson Mohsin Naqvi expressing confidence that the teams, including India, will come to play this Champions Trophy. “Team India will come to play the Champions Trophy, all the teams will come,” he said. His comment reflects the PCB’s resolve for the tournament to be held in Pakistan first time in almost three decades.
Long Wait Continues for a Big ICC Event in Pakistan
Another major international cricket organization competition has not been hosted by Pakistan for twenty years since the 1996 Cricket World Cup which was hosted in collaboration with India and Sri Lanka. Also, Pakistan was named as a host of the ICC Cricket World Cup held in India in 2011, but the right to host the games was beaten after such catastrophic incident that took place in the city of Lahore in 2009 when the Sri Lanka cricket bus was shot by terrorists. The tournament was accordingly accommodated in three countries, that is India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Consequently, cricket has become a rare commodity when it comes to fixtures involving Pakistan, the last few years notwithstanding. In the recent past, the country has successfully held many bilateral series but it would be a huge achievement for it to be in a position of organizing a multi-lateral tournament of such magnitude as the ICC Champions Trophy.
Cricket Relations Between India and Pakistan
Nevertheless, the aspect that renders the discussion of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is of crucial importance, the India-Pakistan cricket bilateral relationship. The last Indian cricket team visited Pakistan besides the 2008 edition of the Asia Cup. It has also been mentioned that owing to political and security concerns, a series of bilateral cricket matches between India and Pakistan could not be held in Pakistan more so in recent years.
However, Pakistan has been in India several times in the recent past. A white ball bilateral series was played between the two countries in India in December 2012 and January 2013; they participated in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2016 and finally will take part in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup exclusively in India. In the 2023 tournament, matches were scheduled to be held at least in Hyderabad across Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata with the highlighted (considered good) match on the 14th of October 2023 vs India being played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
In a quest to resolve this highly sensitive stalemate creatively due to the geopolitical context, there is an idea of a hybrid approach where the games – those involving the Indian cricketers are staged in Dubai.
Conclusion
Though the hosting arrangement for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is to be finally decided by the ICC, the situation remains fluid. While the rights remain with Pakistan, there is a serious consideration of either a hybrid model or the whole relocation of the tournament. In doing so, that would also be a big feat for Pakistan to have pulled off the hosting of the event and a massive step toward reinstituting itself as a safe and viable venue for international cricket. For now, with the cricketing world waiting for the final decision of the ICC, all eyes will be pinned on how these developments unfold.
FAQs
- Q: What is the ICC Champions Trophy Hybrid Hosting Model for 2025?
A: The hybrid model holds matches in Pakistan and the UAE, with India likely to play their matches in Dubai owing to security concerns.
- Q: What was the last ICC major tournament that Pakistan hosted?
A: In 1996 the country hosted the ODI World Cup along with India and Sri lanka
- Q: What’s so serious that the ICC better move the tournament from Pakistan?
A: It is a fact that the ICC is contemplating other safe venues because of the apprehensions of a terrorist attack as well as a possible non-participation by India due to logistical reasons.
- Q: Which countries are Interested in holding The ICC Champions Trophy 2025?
A: In case the tournament does not take place in Pakistan, Dubai, where a few ICC meetings do take place, may stage the competition, as well as Sri Lanka and/or South Africa.