The ICC Board will meet next week in an emergency meeting to discuss the fate of the 2025 Champions Trophy. ESPNcricinfo learned that the sole agenda for the meeting, which is likely to take place on November 26, is to reach a consensus on whether to adopt a hybrid model for the tournament with matches split between Pakistan, the host country, and a second venue abroad, which is yet to be confirmed.
While several people aware of the discussions confirmed the development to ESPNcricinfo, an ICC spokesperson said there had been no official communication confirming the meeting next week. It is unclear how many boards have been informed of the meeting at this time. A PCB official also said they had not received such information at the moment.
The ICC Board is made up of representatives of the 12 full member countries, three Associate representatives, an independent director together with the president and the chief executive of ICC.
The stalemate has meant that with less than 100 days until the expected start of the tournament (as hosts, the PCB has scheduled it to run from February 19 to March 9) there is still no official ICC schedule for the event.
This is the second time in successive years that the PCB is taking on the hybrid model to host a multinational tournament that suits India. The Asia Cup 2023 was played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka after the Indian team was denied permission to travel to Pakistan. It was Pakistan who traveled between their country and Sri Lanka, where the final of the tournament was played. Pakistan traveled to India for the ODI World Cup shortly after that tournament, a decision the PCB said it hoped would be reciprocated by the Champions Trophy.
