The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it will not accept a hybrid model for the 2025 Champions Trophy. It has apparently asked the ICC not to discuss the option during their meeting on Friday, November 29.
Pakistan was scheduled to host the Champions Trophy from February 19 to March 9. However, India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament has led to a major controversy and delay in announcing the schedule. The ICC is set to meet virtually on Friday to try and finalize the schedule for the event.
As per a report by news agency PTI, the PCB has informed the ICC that the hybrid model for the 2025 Champions Trophy is unacceptable to them. Ahead of ICC's meeting on Friday, PTI quoted a source as saying:
"I can confirm that PCB has a few hours back told the ICC that a Hybrid Model is not acceptable to them."
As per the report, PCB stated that organizing the tournament in the hybrid model would mean giving preferential treatment to India. The source told the news agency that if the 2025 Champions Trophy is held in the hybrid model, PCB also would not allow its team to go to India for ICC events until 2031.
"I can confirm initially the PCB had looked at the possibility of a Hybrid model on the condition that if India can't play in Pakistan, then in future there would be Hybrid models in all ICC events in India right until 2031 (ODI World Cup in India and Bangladesh) as Pakistan would not go and play in India," the source said.
As per another source, the PCB has again asked the ICC whether the BCCI had submitted a letter in writing from their government stating that clearance was not given to the Indian cricket team to play the tournament in Pakistan.
India last visited Pakistan during the Asia Cup in 2008. While Pakistan hosted the event last year, India played their matches in Sri Lanka in a hybrid model.
Pakistan beat India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final
Arch-rivals Pakistan and India clashed in the 2017 Champions Trophy final at The Kennington Oval in London. Batting first, Pakistan posted 338-4 on the board as Fakhar Zaman hammered 114 off 106.
In reply, India were bundled out for 158 in 30.3 overs, going down by 180 runs. For Pakistan, Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali claimed three wickets each.
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