The International Cricket Council (ICC) has cancelled its planned announcement of the 2025 Champions Trophy schedule for November 11 in Lahore. The event, which has since been cancelled, was intended to commemorate the 100-day countdown to the February 19–March 19, 2025, date of the coveted eight-team championship.
Due to security concerns, India is not anticipated to visit the neighbouring countries, which presents its own set of difficulties for the tournament. Even though the ICC had prepared a lot for the planned announcement, the diplomatic situation between the two countries has prompted a reevaluation.
“We are still in talks with the host and participating countries over the Champions Trophy calendar, therefore the timetable is not finalised. We will make an announcement via our regular channels as soon as it is confirmed,” an official stated, as reported.
I have not received a letter from the PCB. Moderator Mohsin Naqvi
India’s matches are expected to be held outside of Pakistan, suggesting that a hybrid model may be the result. Both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) were aware of the potential and had budgetary and other arrangements in place for the partial relocation of matches, most likely to the United Arab Emirates. Recently, Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the PCB, also spoke about the matter.
“If they [the Indian cricket board] have any concerns, we have a clear position that they must communicate with us in writing. We have not yet discussed any hybrid models, but we are prepared to do so. The Indian Board may have written this somewhere, or if the Indian media is covering it, the ICC will provide us with a letter. No such letter has reached the PCB or me as of yet,” Naqvi recently told reporters in Lahore.
The main players’ inability to communicate with one another further complicates matters. The PCB asserts that it has not heard from any party regarding the developments, despite the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially informing the ICC that it does not have governmental approval to travel to Pakistan.
In the first schedule of the tournament, India was scheduled to play three matches in Lahore: against Pakistan on March 1, Bangladesh on February 20, and New Zealand on February 23.
Also Read: India not not travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy, likely to play in UAE
These matches will probably be moved to UAE locations like Dubai or Abu Dhabi in light of the recent events, although Pakistan will still have the right to host additional games in Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Lahore.
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