- A hybrid option, where most matches are played in Pakistan but those involving India are played outside Pakistan.
- The tournament is being played entirely outside Pakistan, with the option for the PCB to retain hosting rights.
- The entire event is played in Pakistan but without India.
The last of those options is almost impossible, given the negative financial and commercial impact it will have on the tournament. The chances of the first, a hybrid model, were reduced on Thursday after a PCB official told ESPNcricinfo that they had informed the ICC once again that it was not on the table. “The PCB has asked the ICC to submit a reasonable or acceptable proposal to Pakistan before the ICC Board meeting tomorrow,” the official said.
That, in fact, could be one of the conditions under which the PCB accepts any hybrid model for now: that the ICC consider the same option for tournaments in India, where it is unlikely, for now, to be given permission to Pakistan to travel in his government.
Naqvi did not say whether Pakistan will play India in this tournament as they are drawn to be in the same group. A hybrid model, or a complete relocation, means they will play at a neutral venue; The fact that the game does not take place would also mean a major commercial success for the tournament.
“Whatever we do, we will ensure that the best outcome is achieved for Pakistan,” Naqvi said several times. “But I repeat, and I’m sure you know what I mean, it is not possible for Pakistan to play in India and not come here.”
Naqvi said the PCB would not be motivated by seeking any financial deal, quelling informal rumors that the PCB might try to negotiate a higher hosting fee in exchange for a hybrid model, promising “that we will not sell our rights simply for more money. This will never happen, but we will do what is best for Pakistan.” In any case, two host countries would require a revised tournament budget.
The meeting will be virtual and will likely be put to a vote only if consensus is not reached within the board. But there will be pressure to reach a resolution quickly as time runs out before the tournament and preparations begin. An alternative or additional location must be chosen depending on the option the board chooses, and a schedule for the event must be finalized and published.
In addition, the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the National Stadium in Karachi – two of Pakistan’s venues – are undergoing major renovation and improvement work, in a race against time to be ready for the tournament. The PCB has assured the ICC board that the venues will be ready for the tournament by the end of this year.
Pakistan won the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy in November 2021 and, if it goes as planned, it will be the first ICC event it has hosted since the 1996 World Cup. But its status was altered when the BCCI informed the CPI earlier this month that the Indian government had not given permission to its team to travel to Pakistan.
This was not a surprise, given that no Indian team has toured Pakistan since 2008, and the Mumbai attacks that same year threw relations between the two countries into a downward spiral. Pakistan has visited India three times since then, for a bilateral series in 2012-13, the 2016 T20 World Cup and, most recently, the 2023 ODI World Cup. That trip only came after a government committee approved it, despite considerable opposition from some members.
The PCB had to adopt a hybrid model for the Asia Cup just before the World Cup, but hoped its trip to India would result in a reciprocal gesture for the Champions Trophy.
