ICC announced a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, Pakistan got this reward in return

The decision that was awaited regarding the Champions Trophy has come out. After many conflicts and negotiations, the ICC has finally formally approved organizing the tournament in a hybrid model. The ICC announced on Thursday, December 19, that for this tournament to be held in February-March next year, the matches of the Indian team will be played at a neutral venue instead of Pakistan, which the BCCI had been demanding from the beginning. In return, the ICC has also rewarded Pakistan with a new tournament, which will be played in 2028. The schedule of the Champions Trophy will also be released in the next few days.

India's matches at neutral venue

After the meeting of all the cricket boards with the ICC, it was clear that this tournament will be played in a hybrid model. However, its hosting will remain completely with Pakistan. The ICC said in its announcement that the matches of the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played in Pakistan and at neutral venues. However, the ICC did not make any announcement about which is the neutral venue, but the Indian board has been demanding to play in Dubai, so Team India's matches are expected to be held there.

That is, BCCI had expressed concern about security and said that it would not get permission from the Indian government, but ICC has accepted it. Pakistan Cricket Board had initially shown a stubborn attitude and threatened that it will not accept the hybrid model at any cost and if this happens, it can even withdraw its name. But after a long discussion, a solution has been found.

There is another important thing in this solution. ICC has also clarified that this arrangement will be applicable not only in Champions Trophy but in every tournament till 2027. Under this, Pakistani team will play its matches at neutral venue for ICC tournaments to be held in India. Women's ODI World Cup is to be played in India in 2025 itself, while Men's T20 World Cup is to be organized in 2026 under the hosting of India and Sri Lanka. In such a situation, Pakistani team will play its matches outside India in both these tournaments. Similarly, Pakistan has also got the hosting of Women's T20 World Cup for 2028 and the arrangement of neutral venue will continue in this too.

How did the dispute start?

The ICC handed over the hosting of the Champions Trophy to Pakistan 3 years ago i.e. in November 2021. For the first time since 1996, the PCB was given the responsibility of an ICC tournament. After this, in January 2022, the Government of Pakistan gave permission to build a new stadium in Islamabad. Then in April 2024, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced to hold the tournament in the already existing stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi instead of the new stadium and drafted the schedule of the tournament in July. After this, the ICC released a fund of $ 65 million for the tournament in August and the very next month Pakistan started the work of repairing the stadium.

Till now nothing was said by BCCI. However, given the relationship between the two countries, everyone was aware of the controversy and that is what happened. As the tournament came closer, news started coming out that BCCI has told ICC that it will not send Team India to Pakistan. Meanwhile, statements kept coming from former cricketers of both the countries.

The issue heated up in November

But the issue of Champions Trophy heated up in November, when BCCI officially refused to send Team India to ICC and demanded a hybrid model. Soon after this, PCB President Mohsin Naqvi protested and said that this is not acceptable to PCB at any cost. Not only this, on November 10, PCB also discussed this issue with the Pakistan government. The schedule of the tournament was to be announced on November 11, which was cancelled by the ICC. This increased the tension of Pakistan and it demanded the reason for Team India not coming in writing from ICC.

During this time, news also came out that the PCB is thinking of taking legal action against the Indian Cricket Board. However, nothing like this happened. Then on November 15, the controversy deepened further when the Pakistani board suddenly announced the trophy tour which also included the cities of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. But after the protest of the then BCCI secretary Jay Shah, the ICC took strict action and on November 16, Pakistan had to remove these cities from the list. At the same time, on November 27, a report came out that the ICC has scheduled a meeting on November 29 to resolve the issue and take a final decision. This meeting lasted only 15-20 minutes, in which no result came out and it was postponed to the next day and now the decision has been announced.

BCCI's concern is justified

BCCI's concern is justified because the relations between the two countries are not good. Apart from this, there is a long history of attacks on foreign cricket teams in Pakistan. Recently, after a tense protest in Pakistan, Sri Lanka A team had to leave the 3-match ODI series midway and return to their country.

In 2009, terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan senior team in Lahore, in which 8 people lost their lives. Before this, in 2002, there was a suicide attack outside the New Zealand cricket team's hotel in Karachi, in which 14 people were killed. Apart from this, such cases have been seen before when the opposing team had to return.