Champions Trophy 2025 to be Shifted to South Africa if PCB Don't Agree to Hybrid Model - Report

Add as a preferred source on Google

Champions Trophy 2025 is likely to be staged entirely in South Africa if Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) do not agree to ICC's suggestion after Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision to not travel to Pakistan to play the tournament.

BCCI has officially communicated to the ICC of their decision to not travel to Pakistan, citing security concerns. This forced the postponement of the schedule announcement event, which was set to take place on Monday (November 11).

The latest developement has also left PCB in a spot of bother as their chief Mohsin Naqvi is adamant on hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan and that could see them losing the hosting rights for the tournament.

According to a report by Sports Tak, the ICC is planning to shift the Champions Trophy to South Africa if PCB does not agree to a hybrid model which would see India's matches being played at a different location, either UAE or Sri Lanka.

The BCCI has remained firm on their stance that they will only travel to their neighbouring country only if the Indian government allows them to do so. Even last year, the Indian cricket team did not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, which was then held in hybrid model.

India's matches and part of the Asia Cup 2023 was staged in Sri Lanka. Many expect the hybrid model to be finalized for the Champions Trophy as well, but there is a chance the tournament could be held entirely in a different country.

A report from Dawn suggests that the Pakistan government may ask the country's cricket board to withdraw from the tournament. "In such a case, one of the options the government is mulling is that of asking the PCB to ensure Pakistan don't participate in the Champions Trophy," the report quoted its source.

India has not travelled to Pakistan since 2008 due to tense political ties between both nations. India last toured Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2008. The arch-rivals played their last bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, a white-ball series and now mostly play in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups.

Now, even that chance of India vs Pakistan clashes in cricket could be in danger as some reports indicated Pakistan may refuse to face their arch-rivals in any tournament from now.

The same was the case even last year when Pakistan threatened to pull out of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in India after the neighbouring country refused to travel for the Asia Cup. But, in the end Pakistan came to India to play the show-piece tournament.