The PCB has conveyed to the ICC that security is not an issue in the country that recently successfully hosted England and New Zealand and promised the same for the Champions Trophy.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is facing an uncertain future. The BCCI, which did not get clearance from the Government of India, has communicated to the International Cricket Council that the team would not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in 2025. The PCB, the host for that competition, has insisted that there will not be any hybrid model where India plays their matches at some neutral venue.
https://twitter.com/DelhiDialogues6/status/1856927644090064896
The PCB has also sent a letter to the ICC asking the world body to express its and the BCCI’s stance in writing. According to a report in Cricbuzz, if the Pakistan Cricket Board continues to maintain its tough stance and the Champions Trophy is affected, the ICC may sanction the board.
If PCB withdraws, its ICC funding can be cut substantially. Moving or postponing the tournament could mean PCB losing approximately USD 65 million in host fees. Recently, the PCB upgraded three venues – Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore – for the Champions Trophy, and any financial loss would hurt them even more.
The PCB has made it clear to the ICC that security is not an issue in the country, having recently hosted England and New Zealand and giving the same assurances for the Champions Trophy. It refused to budge on its stand not to hold the event in a hybrid model, like last year’s Asia Cup when India’s matches were held in Sri Lanka.
So far, the ICC has yet to respond to the PCB and was discussing the schedule with the participating teams. News agency PTI also learned that the PCB is not keen on hosting the tournament outside the country, not even in the UAE.
