How the Champions Trophy will be organized is still unclear. According to Pakistani media, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed to play the tournament under a hybrid model on two conditions. However, no official announcement has been made yet. There’s also no clear understanding of what was discussed in the recent ICC online meeting.
This ambiguity surrounding the Champions Trophy might clear up in the ICC meeting scheduled for December 5 in Dubai. During the online meeting on November 29, the ICC gave PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) 48 hours to discuss where India’s matches would take place. However, even after 72 hours, there’s no news about whether any discussion occurred or its outcome.
In the meantime, a new development has emerged — if the Champions Trophy is held under a hybrid model, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has expressed interest in hosting India’s matches in Dhaka. A BCB source revealed this yesterday, stating, ‘If we can bring a few Champions Trophy matches here, what could be better than that?’
Reportedly, BCB President Nazmul Hasan Papon discussed the matter over the phone with PCB head Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi sought Bangladesh’s support for the tournament, and Papon expressed interest in hosting India’s matches if the hybrid model is adopted. When asked about this, Papon did not give a direct answer but hinted at BCB’s intent: ‘I can’t comment on this now. But yes, we will try something.’ Papon is scheduled to travel to Dubai today to attend the ICC meeting.
If BCB proposes hosting India’s matches in Bangladesh during the December 5 meeting, it could introduce a new angle to the Champions Trophy discussions. However, considering the current cool political relations between Bangladesh and India, expecting India to agree to play their matches in Bangladesh seems far-fetched. India is more likely to prefer playing in Dubai. A BCB official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged this challenge: ‘The only problem is whether India will agree to play in Bangladesh at this moment. We know it’s difficult, but trying doesn’t hurt. Since Pakistan is the host nation, their opinion will also matter here.’
The most recent ICC online meeting didn’t see much discussion about the Champions Trophy, mainly because ICC CEO Geoff Allardice wasn’t present. The meeting, which lasted only 10–12 minutes, saw little input from board representatives. Since this is primarily an issue between PCB and BCCI, the ICC asked them to finalize a decision within 48 hours and report back at the December 5 meeting.
Meanwhile, Pakistani media reports suggest PCB has set two conditions for agreeing to host the Champions Trophy under a hybrid model. First, PCB’s share of ICC revenue must be increased. Second, all global tournaments India is set to host until 2031 must also adopt the hybrid model. Reports further suggest that most Champions Trophy matches would be held in Pakistan, but India prefers to play their matches in the UAE.
