Indian captain Rohit Sharma (Left) and Pakistan Babar Azam through the toss on this undated picture. — AFP
The controversy surrounding the subsequent 12 months’s Champions Trophy has come to an finish because the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) reportedly greenlighted a “tit-for-tat” hybrid mannequin proposed by Pakistan over India’s refusal to ship its workforce to the neighbouring nation, Indian media claimed on Friday.
The event — deemed as a victory of Pakistan’s stance — got here following an settlement between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI), in accordance with a report printed in India At present.
The eight-team event hit a snag final month when the BCCI advised the ICC that their aspect wouldn’t compete in Pakistan over safety fears and political tensions.
Below the hybrid mannequin, Pakistan will host the group matches however its high-profile conflict with India shall be performed at a impartial venue. The ultimate can be held at impartial venue or Lahore relying on whether or not the Indian aspect makes it by means of.
Moreover, the publication — in its report — acknowledged that each cricket boards have reached a consensus on the 2026 T20 World Cup, deciding that Pakistan is not going to journey to India for the league-stage conflict towards India, which can as a substitute be held in Colombo.
It was reported that the PCB is not going to obtain any “financial compensation” for this association, whereas Pakistan additionally secured internet hosting rights for an ICC Ladies’s event to happen after 2027.
“The agreement has been well-received by all stakeholders, ensuring smooth planning for these marquee events while addressing logistical and geopolitical concerns,” it added.
The 2025 Champions Trophy is scheduled to happen from February 19 to March 9, with eight groups divided into two teams. The highest two groups from every group will advance to the semifinals, adopted by the ultimate.
Earlier, sources claimed that the BCCI objected to the tit-for-tat situation by itself internet hosting and to the proposal to play the ultimate in Lahore if India don’t qualify.
The arch-rivals solely meet in ICC multi-national occasions, with the final bilateral sequence held when Pakistan toured India in 2012-13. Pakistan had been additionally pressured to host final 12 months’s Asia Cup on a hybrid mannequin, with India’s matches and the ultimate hosted in Sri Lanka.
India are set to co-host the subsequent Twenty20 World Cup with Sri Lanka in 2026 along with the Champions Trophy in 2029 and co-host the 2031 World Cup with Bangladesh.
Pakistan has not hosted an ICC occasion because the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
Lately, the ICC has made positive that India play Pakistan no less than as soon as in every of the worldwide cricketing occasions, guaranteeing a significant chunk of income from this recreation.
The India-Pakistan match on the 2023 World Cup drew unprecedented curiosity, with 173 million viewers on Indian TV and 225 million digital viewers.
The 2021 T20 World Cup match between the 2 sides reached 167 million viewers and drove 15.9 billion minutes of engagement in India alone, highlighting Pakistan’s function in producing cricket viewership and income figures.
