BCCI REJECTS PCB’s conditions over accepting hybrid model for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

New Delhi: The Champions Trophy has hit a roadblock as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has firmly rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demand to play all their matches outside India. This development has cast fresh doubts over the tournament’s smooth conduct.

The PCB had earlier agreed to a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, where India’s matches would be hosted in Dubai. In exchange, the PCB suggested they would refrain from playing any of their matches in India during the 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The PCB viewed this arrangement as a precedent for future ICC tournaments, including the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025, the 2029 Champions Trophy, and the 2031 ODI World Cup, all of which India is set to host.

According to *The Telegraph*, the BCCI has firmly rejected the PCB’s proposal, communicating its stance to the ICC leadership. The BCCI maintains that there are no security concerns in India, making the hybrid model unnecessary. As it stands, India’s matches in the Champions Trophy, including the semi-finals and final (if they qualify), are slated to be played in Dubai.

Despite the BCCI’s rejection, the PCB continues to push for the hybrid model to be implemented across all ICC events. Additionally, the PCB has requested a formal security assurance from the BCCI, citing concerns about India not playing at home. However, the BCCI has yet to respond to this demand.

An emergency ICC board meeting, originally scheduled for Thursday to discuss the hybrid model and break the impasse, now faces uncertainty. While the ICC held a brief meeting the previous Friday, it was adjourned after the PCB rejected the hybrid model. However, the PCB quickly reversed its stance following the ICC’s threat to relocate the Champions Trophy.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has been in Dubai ahead of the scheduled meeting, actively engaging in behind-the-scenes talks with the ICC and the Emirates Cricket Board. These negotiations aim to resolve the ongoing impasse, although no monetary compensation has been proposed to the PCB for agreeing to the hybrid model.

Sources suggest that all stakeholders are working towards a resolution, with the ICC board expected to meet soon. Adding a new layer of complexity to the ongoing negotiations, Jay Shah, the former BCCI secretary, has assumed the chairmanship of the ICC board, potentially influencing the direction of the discussions.