With just three months left, the fate of the ICC Champions Trophy remains uncertain as the ICC has yet to finalize the venue, creating significant challenges for cricket’s governing body. To resolve the ongoing issues, the ICC is set to hold an urgent meeting on Tuesday, November 26, where the tournament’s future is expected to be decided.
The primary obstacle stems from the Indian government’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan, the tournament’s designated host. India has proposed a “hybrid model” where their matches would be held outside Pakistan, but Pakistan remains adamant about hosting the entire tournament on its home soil. In response, Pakistan has threatened to withdraw from the competition if its hosting rights are revoked.
Despite these uncertainties, Pakistan has already started the trophy tour. The tournament schedule was supposed to be unveiled on November 11 in Lahore, where all of India’s matches were initially planned to be held. However, no schedule has been released yet, even though it was expected 100 days prior to the tournament. To ensure smooth organization, the PCB has also appointed a dedicated Chief Operating Officer for the event.
If no major compromise is reached, India’s matches are likely to be shifted to the UAE, a solution that the ICC may adopt under the hybrid model. While Pakistan remains reluctant, the ICC is also unlikely to proceed without India, given their influence and financial contribution to global cricket. A hybrid model would keep Pakistan as the primary host while minimizing logistical challenges for other teams playing India in UAE.
