The controversy surrounding the next year’s Champions Trophy has come to an end as the International Cricket Council (ICC) reportedly greenlighted a “tit-for-tat” hybrid model proposed by Pakistan over India’s refusal to send its team to the neighbouring country, Indian media claimed on Friday.
The development — deemed as a victory of Pakistan’s stance — came following an agreement between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), according to a report published in India Today.
The eight-team tournament hit a snag last month when the BCCI told the ICC that their side would not compete in Pakistan over security fears and political tensions.
Under the hybrid model, Pakistan will host the group matches but its high-profile clash with India will be played at a neutral venue. The final would be held at neutral venue or Lahore depending on whether the Indian side makes it through.
Furthermore, the publication — in its report — stated that both cricket boards have reached a consensus on the 2026 T20 World Cup, deciding that Pakistan will not travel to India for the league-stage clash against India, which will instead be held in Colombo.
It was reported that the PCB will not receive any “financial compensation” for this arrangement, while Pakistan also secured hosting rights for an ICC Women’s tournament to take place after 2027.
“The agreement has been well-received by all stakeholders, ensuring smooth planning for these marquee events while addressing logistical and geopolitical concerns,” it added.
The 2025 Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, with eight teams divided into two groups. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, followed by the final.
Earlier, sources claimed that the BCCI objected to the tit-for-tat condition on its own hosting and to the proposal to play the final in Lahore if India do not qualify.
The arch-rivals only meet in ICC multi-national events, with the last bilateral series held when Pakistan toured India in 2012-13. Pakistan were also forced to host last year’s Asia Cup on a hybrid model, with India’s matches and the final hosted in Sri Lanka.
India are set to co-host the next Twenty20 World Cup with Sri Lanka in 2026 in addition to the Champions Trophy in 2029 and co-host the 2031 World Cup with Bangladesh.
Pakistan has not hosted an ICC event since the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
In recent years, the ICC has made sure that India play Pakistan at least once in each of the global cricketing events, ensuring a major chunk of revenue from this game.
The India-Pakistan match at the 2023 World Cup drew unprecedented interest, with 173 million viewers on Indian TV and 225 million digital viewers.
The 2021 T20 World Cup match between the two sides reached 167 million viewers and drove 15.9 billion minutes of engagement in India alone, highlighting Pakistan’s role in generating cricket viewership and revenue figures.
