Champions Trophy: Hybrid model agreed upon ‘in principle’

DUBAI: While the final decision regarding the location of the marque matches between Pakistan and India in the ICC Champions Trophy are is yet to be decided, as Wednesday’s meeting was postponed, ESPNcricinfo reported on the same day that the new hybrid model suggested by the PCB was agreed upon “in principle”.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting scheduled for Wednesday was postponed and is now scheduled for December 7. But, media reports suggest that a meeting between the newly appointed Chairman of the ICC and secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India, Jay Shah, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, took place on Thursday.

And that meeting reportedly resulted in the new version of the hybrid formula, the fusion formula suggested by the PCB, being agreed upon “in principle”. The new hybrid model will be in effect until 2027 for all ICC events being hosted in Pakistan and India. Apart from the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy, the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup will take place in India, and the T20I World Cup in 2026 will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

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While final plans on a location are yet to be decided, Dubai is a likely option for the upcoming champions trophy. Next years ODI world cup could also take place in Dubai, while the 2026 T20 world cup matches between the two rivals could take place in Sri Lanka.

The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi previously stated that they would not accept a hybrid model. However, with legal trouble with the ICC broadcasters looming, and India’s staunch refusal to travel to Pakistan, not many options were left available. Apart from a hybrid model, the other options included replacing India with another team, which the broadcasters would no doubt object to, or stripping the hosting rightrs from Pakistan. The latter option would void all the money and effort put into improving Pakistan’s stadiums, including the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the National Cricket Stadium, and the Gaddafi Stadium, to international standards.

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