ICC Board Meeting Concludes Without Decision on 2025 Champions Trophy

India and Pakistan last competed against each other in the 2024 T20 World Cup in June. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not yet finalized the schedule for the 2025 Champions Trophy, even after a board meeting held on Friday. The tournament, slated to commence on 19 February, faces uncertainty because India has declined to travel to Pakistan, the designated host nation. According to BBC Sport, the initial meeting was “brief,” and the board is anticipated to reconvene in the upcoming days. Due to ongoing political tensions, the two nations have not played against each other in bilateral series since 2008, only participating in major tournaments. Furthermore, India has not visited Pakistan for cricket in 16 years. Conversely, Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup in 2023. Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), previously dismissed the concept of a ‘hybrid’ tournament format, which would involve India playing its matches in a separate country. Nevertheless, it now appears progressively improbable that the entire tournament will be staged exclusively in Pakistan. The Champions Trophy is slated to be the first global cricket event hosted by Pakistan since 1996.