November 29, 2024: The uncertainty surrounding India’s participation in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan, continues to dominate the cricketing landscape. As the tournament edges closer, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla’s remarks underscore the delicate balancing act the Board faces, with player safety being the top priority.
The mention of a “hybrid model” is particularly interesting. This concept—where the tournament could be hosted in both Pakistan and a neutral country—mirrors the arrangement made for the 2023 Asia Cup, where India’s matches were held in Sri Lanka due to security concerns. The hybrid model has become a pragmatic solution for balancing the need to host prestigious tournaments while also addressing safety issues in regions where tensions or security risks exist. This option would allow India to participate in the Champions Trophy while ensuring that players and officials feel safe, something BCCI has consistently emphasized.
While Shukla reiterated that any decision would be made after considering the situation and the safety of the players, it’s clear that a compromise solution like the hybrid model may be the most feasible way forward. The ICC meeting on November 29 will be crucial in determining the tournament’s fate, especially since the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is keen on holding the event exclusively in Pakistan, but the political and security situation makes this contentious.
India’s stance on not traveling to Pakistan due to strained political relations has been well established, and the BCCI has maintained that any decision would be contingent on the Indian government’s clearance. The last time India toured Pakistan was in 2008 for the Asia Cup, and since then, the two teams have only met in neutral venues or ICC events. Given the volatility of Indo-Pak relations and security concerns, the BCCI’s cautious approach is understandable.
The hybrid model, while not ideal for the PCB who would have hoped for a full-fledged tournament in Pakistan, offers a way for the event to still go ahead while addressing the concerns of all stakeholders. The situation is complicated, and it will be interesting to see how the ICC Board reaches a decision in the upcoming meeting.
If the tournament does go ahead under a hybrid model, it could set a precedent for future international tournaments, especially in politically sensitive regions.
