The impasse over the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy persisted as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi revealed on Saturday that a scheduled meeting with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address the matter had been postponed.
The tournament, set to take place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, has been marred by controversy. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to send its team to Pakistan, citing political and security concerns, despite security assurances and a tentative schedule agreed upon by other member boards.
Efforts to resolve the standoff hit another roadblock on Thursday when BCCI representatives rejected the PCB’s proposed “partnership formula” for the next three years.
Speaking to reporters in Lahore, Naqvi said, “We had a meeting [with the ICC] scheduled for today, but it has been postponed. Once the details are finalised, we will provide an update.”
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi avoided commenting on potential developments involving the ICC or BCCI regarding the Champions Trophy but assured, “We will not disappoint the nation.”
“Discussions are ongoing, but I prefer not to make any premature statements. Our focus is on achieving the best outcome for both Pakistani and international cricket,” he said. When pressed on another question, he declined to respond, emphasizing his desire not to “disrupt negotiations.”
Naqvi highlighted Pakistan’s “positive role” in the ongoing talks.
When asked about newly appointed ICC chief Jay Shah, Naqvi refrained from direct commentary, stating only, “If the ICC thrives, cricket will thrive. Any setbacks to the ICC will be felt globally.”
The BCCI had reportedly informed the tournament organizers last month of the Indian government’s refusal to permit their cricket team to travel to Pakistan. Earlier this week, reports suggested that a hybrid model for hosting the tournament had been tentatively agreed upon.
The original proposal for the hybrid model envisioned India playing their Champions Trophy matches at a neutral venue, while the rest of the tournament would take place in Pakistan. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) introduced a reciprocal condition, stipulating that Pakistan would also play its matches at neutral venues if India hosts an ICC tournament in the future. This arrangement came to be known as the “partnership formula.”
Initially, the PCB sought to apply this condition until the conclusion of the current ICC Future Tours Programme cycle, ending with the 2031 Cricket World Cup. When the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rejected this proposal, the PCB revised it to cover the next three years instead.
Amid ongoing political tensions between the two nations, the BCCI has consistently adhered to the Indian government’s policy of avoiding bilateral cricketing engagements with Pakistan.
Sources suggest that the PCB has recognized its strategic role in ICC politics and is leveraging its position to push India to a critical decision point. Meanwhile, broadcasters are increasing pressure on the ICC to finalize and release the Champions Trophy schedule, with the tournament now less than three months away.