The dispute regarding the venue for the Champions Trophy 2025 plain does not seem to be easy to come up with a solution. First of all, India does not wish to visit Pakistan and secondly, Pakistan does not want to participate in a hybrid system. Thus, with no go ahead from the two parties, the ICC is unable to declare the dates for the Champions Trophy 2025. Once again, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali explains that the stalemate between India and Pakistan cannot go on indefinitely, therefore, an option of having the two teams in separate pools in the Champions Trophy has also been discussed, but that option is not acceptable to the television rights holders.
“What did I tell you about the Champions Trophy, I hope you recollect? Attempt to pull off the hybrid model, Pakistan and India will not be in the same pool. All this while, I am talking to those people who claim Ashes is a huge series, Border-Gavsakar is a massive series, they better wake up. (hybrid model or so that India and Pakistan are in different pools) the broadcaster isn’t okay with that and it won’t,” added Basit Ali in his Youtube video.
“Pakistan has not beaten India in any 50 over World Cup. But why then an Ind vs Pak match is that hyped? For that matter, if the broadcaster claims that a hybrid model is unacceptable, then why even ICC states that. It is hard to expect. If a tournament does not have any match between India and Pakistan, it is an insipid menu.
“PCB has played its cards very well, kudos! If you want to go ahead with the hybrid model, do it. But India and Pakistan will not be in the same pool, and Pakistan will play all their matches at home. If you have the guts to then go ahead. ICC under pressure,” said Basit.
“The BCCI conveys information to the ICC, which then passes it on to the PCB. After that, the PCB communicates with the ICC, and it is sent to the BCCI. Then the particular channel of the broadcaster stepped in and said ‘what’s going on, this is not alright with us’. Thus the ICC is not at ease.”
With BCCI and PCB coming off as obstinate, there is no clear path forward regarding the event’s prospects. However, renowned Pakistan pacer, Shoaib Akhtar, has directed a dire threat towards PCB as well as ICC and warned that they will lose a cool 100 million dollars ‘83 crores’ if India is not brought to the games.
“There are two things which will happen in situations where Pakistan is unable to bring India either to sheher or somewhere else. One, the sponsorship which the ICC and the host country take will be around $100 million dry loss. Two, it will be so much better that India comes over to Pakistan and plays in Lahore floods or does not win or lose Shoaib Akhtar was quoted saying on a Pakistan channel.”
