The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given an ultimatum to the Pakistan Cricket Board to accept the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy or get ready to get ousted from the tournament, PTI reported. The ICC had a virtual meeting on Friday, November 29 and the decision on the schedule of the tournament was postponed for Saturday, November 30.
"Look, no broadcaster will give a penny to an ICC event which does not have India and even Pakistan knows that. The ICC meeting on Saturday will only happen if Mr Mohsin Naqvi agrees with the 'Hybrid Model'," an ICC Board source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"If not, then ICC Board might have to shift the tournament entirely to a different country (could be UAE too) but it will be held without Pakistan," he added.
ICC's deputy chairperson Imran Khwaja chaired the virtual meeting on Friday as Greg Barclay was absent for unspecified reasons. "All parties continue to work towards a positive resolution for the Champions Trophy 2025 and it is expected that the Board will reconvene on Saturday and continue to meet over the next few days," a senior administrator of an ICC full member nation, who is also a part of the Board, told PTI.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated BCCI's stance of not sending the Indian team to Pakistan for the tournament due to security reasons. "BCCI has issued a statement. They have said that there are security concerns there and it is therefore unlikely that the team will be going there," an MEA spokesperson said when India's participation in the Champions Trophy was mentioned.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi attended the meeting in person as he was in Dubai. BCCI secretary Jay Shah attended the meeting online. The Indian secretary will take charge as the new ICC chairman on December 1.
The report added that if the tournament is rescheduled, Pakistan would likely have to forego their hosting fee of USD six million along with gate revenue.
"Look, they can ask for Hybrid Model for 2025 Women's T20 World Cup but that will be a long shot. As far as the men's T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, Pakistan's matches will be in Sri Lanka mostly. The India vs Pakistan can be decided later," he added.
