ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday to brief the premier on the latest developments regarding hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The PCB Chairman briefed the Prime Minister on developments after Pakistan proposed a new “fusion formula” to ICC to host the mega tournament.
Under the new formula proposed by PCB to the Indian cricket board, both India and Pakistan would not visit each other for ICC events during the next three years.
PM Shehbaz appreciated the PCB chairman’s principled stance regarding the Champions Trophy. The premier expressed full confidence in Naqvi’s leadership regarding the upcoming tournament.
“Your stance regarding the Champions Trophy tournament is the voice of every Pakistani’s heart,” the statement issued from the PM office quoted as saying to Naqvi. “You [Naqvi] represented the 240 million people of Pakistan at the ICC,” Shehbaz Sharif said.
“Pakistan’s honour comes first, everything else comes after that,” Shehbaz Sharif said. PCB Chairman Naqvi responded, “Pakistan is fully prepared to host the Champions Trophy. We want Pakistan and cricket to win.”
India wanted to play its Champions Trophy matches at a neutral venue like last year’s Asia Cup using a hybrid model, with India playing its matches (in addition to the final) in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s proposed “fusion formula” to accept a hybrid model for the ICC Champions Trophy. India, initially refused to accept the new formula, yet to respond to PCB‘s proposal to decide the fate of the Champions Trophy model.
Yesterday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) again postponed its board meeting to decide the future of the Champions Trophy 2025, planned to be held in Pakistan.
In the next three years, India is due to host the women’s ODI World Cup and Asia Cup next year and will co-host the Twenty20 World Cup with Sri Lanka in 2026.
Pakistan is due to host the eight-nation event— the premier ODI competition after the World Cup —from February 19 to March 9 next year, but the final schedule is hanging in the balance with India yet to confirm its participation.
Pakistan will host the mega event matches in its three major cities — Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi.
