ECB senior officials hint at a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy, with alternative plans if India opts out of traveling to Pakistan

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) yet to finalize its decision on sending a team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chair Richard Thompson commented: “It would not benefit cricket if India were to miss the tournament.”

Pakistan is set to host the prestigious ICC event in February next year, but India’s participation remains in doubt as the BCCI awaits approval from New Delhi for the team to travel.

India last toured Pakistan in 2008, and the two historical rivals have not played a bilateral series since the 2012-13 season.

Emphasizing the need for an amicable resolution, Thompson highlighted the key role BCCI Chairman Jay Shah will play in the matter. “There’s geopolitics, and then there’s cricketing geopolitics. I believe they’ll find a solution. They have to.”

Thompson and ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould are currently in Pakistan, where they spoke with British journalists in Multan during the second Test between Pakistan and England.

Their statements came just ahead of the upcoming ICC meetings in Dubai.

Gould stressed the importance of safeguarding broadcast rights, noting the potential negative impact if the Champions Trophy proceeds without India or Pakistan.

He highlighted that both nations have sufficient time to make a decision, allowing for a reasonable resolution.

Thompson and Gould also indicated the possibility of exploring a hybrid model if India decides not to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, mentioning that “many alternatives and contingencies” are available in such a scenario.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to feature eight top teams, including India, Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, based on their performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

The tournament will be hosted at three venues — Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s proposed schedule to the ICC, all of India’s matches are slated to take place in Lahore.

Pakistan enters the tournament as the defending champion, having won the prestigious title in 2017 under former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed. They secured victory in England by defeating India in the final.