Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan agrees to hybrid model but places few conditions – Report

Following a month-long drama on finalising the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 venue, hosts Pakistan has agreed to the hybrid model but has placed a few conditions in its response, latest reports suggest.

While Pakistan has approved ICC's suggestion of India playing its CT 2025 matches in Dubai, including the semis and the finalshould they qualify, it has set a few demands, including a sizeable chunk of ICC's revenue as compensation.

Pakistan lowered its guard in accepting BCCI and ICC’s offer of co-hosting the eight-team tournament scheduled for February- March next year,The Times of India (TOI) newspaper said in a report.

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Due to tense relations between India and Pakistan, none has toured each other for a bilateral series since 2012, with the arch rivals facing off in just ICC events and Asia Cup.

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Even last year, when Pakistan was supposed to host the Asia Cup, the BCCI refused to send its team across the border due tosecurity concerns.

Subsequently, Sri Lanka was roped in as the last-minute co-host and India played all of its matches there, including the final, which they won.

What are PCB's conditions?

Pakistan was never going to agree to the hybrid model for nothing. Reports citingsources said the PCB wants a hybrid-for-hybrid solution to subsequent ICC tournaments to be held in India in the current FTP cycle till 2031.

India will host three men’s ICC events and the women’s World Cup during this window. While they co-host the 2026 T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh will share hosting rights for the 50-over World Cup in 2031. Also, India will host the 2029 ICC Champions Trophy, with the women’s WC scheduled to be held next year.

Besides, the PCB has asked for a sizeable share of ICC revenue as compensation for sharing Champions Trophy 2025 hosting rights. As things stand, the BCCI gets 38 per cent of ICC revenue, while Pakistan pockets a minute chunk of less than six per cent. The reports further suggest that ICC has offered compensation value over and above the hosting fees but is unlikely to agree to increase PCB’s revenue share for accepting the hybrid model.

Meanwhile, the sources also claim that ICC and BCCI stood their ground on hosting the Champions Trophy in the hybrid model, with the PCB fearing losing the hosting rights altogether should they decide against accepting it. Although there is no official announcement yet, the BCCI hasn’t committed to any of the demands either.

It is also expected that the final schedule of the Champions Trophy 2025 will be worked on in the coming week, with its release just around the corner.

Should BCCI agree to the demands of the PCB, Pakistan will play its 2026 T20 World Cup and 2031 ODI World Cup matches in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, respectively; however, Pakistan will play their knockout matches in India should they qualify.

The final call on their participation in the 2025 women’s T20 World Cup and the 2029 ICC Champions Trophy, two tournaments to be held in India solely, will be taken in due course.

(With inputs from agencies)