Pakistan will not accept ‘hybrid’ Champions Trophy, says PCB chair

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not stage matches of the 2025 Champions Trophy outside the country if India does not travel for the tournament.

Pakistan, winners of the last Champions Trophy in 2017, will host the February 19-March 9 tournament. It will be the first ICC event hosted by Pakistan since it shared the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

Due to soured political relations, India has not visited Pakistan since 2008 and the rivals play each other only at multi-team events.

Pakistan also hosted the Asia Cup last year but the winner India played all their matches in Sri Lanka under a “hybrid model”.

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At the time, India said they had not received permission from their government to tour Pakistan.

On Friday, Indian media reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had informed the PCB of their unwillingness to travel to Pakistan and suggested playing India’s matches at a neutral venue.

“In the last two months, the Indian media has been reporting that India isn’t traveling. 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,” Naqvi told reporters on Friday.

“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… Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here.

What I’ve always known and understood about the great Muhammad Ali is how kind and compassionate he was towards people. Very nice, very unapologetic, and did things his way.

“I remain in touch with several boards, and they’re all looking forward to playing here. I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter. We’ll give every team as many facilities as we can. We’d like to see fans from abroad come for the tournament, too.”