CHENNAI: Even as the delay in finalising the hosts and schedule of the 2025 Champions Trophy continues, the ICC Board meeting which was supposed to happen on Thursday got postponed at the last minute. It is expected to reconvene in the coming days to finalise a solution for the ongoing issue between India and Pakistan Cricket Boards.
Ever since the BCCI communicated that India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy scheduled to happen in February and March next year, there has been a deadlock between the two neighbouring nations and the global cricketing body. The ICC board met briefly on Friday, but no definite solution was achieved.
While the BCCI has proposed a hybrid model, like the Asia Cup last year, PCB had taken a stand, asking for a long-term solution for the issue. They had proposed a new formula where Pakistan, too, will not travel to India for the ICC events till 2031 and that will require a hybrid model for the same.
PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, who spoke to a few reporters in Dubai on Saturday, had said: "This situation arises all the time. This one-sided thing that we travel to India and they refuse to come to our country cannot continue. At the moment, we are talking to settle it once for all. I promise, whatever will happen will happen on equal terms. Whatever it is, it would be for the long term not only for the Champions Trophy. Things will be decided for the upcoming tournaments as well."
Meanwhile, Jay Shah, who was the BCCI secretary till Saturday, taking charge as ICC Chief, visited the global body headquarters in Dubai on Thursday. He met with the ICC staff and the ICC’s Media Rights partners at the annual broadcast workshop which was being hosted in Dubai, UAE. With the global cricketing body under pressure from the official broadcast partners to finalise the schedule and venues for the Champions Trophy for them to go ahead with their planning, Shah will have to find an amicable solution between the BCCI and PCB in the coming days.