PCB issues stern message to ICC on Champions Trophy amidst rumors of UAE relocation following Islamabad unrest

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has strongly advised the International Cricket Council (ICC) to avoid discussing the hybrid model for the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament during the board meeting on Friday. This statement from the PCB comes in response to reports suggesting that the UAE might host the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, as well as one of the semifinals and the final of the tournament. The ICC was reportedly eager to bring up the topic for discussion in the meeting, but the PCB has made it clear that they are not in favor of this proposal.

After BCCI formally refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, ICC scheduled a meeting on Friday to end all discussion and speculation surrounding the scheduling chaos pertaining to the tournament.

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transform: rotate(32deg); animation: shinerMooving 3s infinite; z-index: 1; filter: blur(1px); } @keyframes shinerMooving { 0% { left: -40px; } 100% { left: 150%; } } Top 15 buys at IPL 2025 Auction Rishabh Pant ₹ 27 Cr DC LSG Total Match 111 Total Runs 3284 Highest Score 128 runs Shreyas Iyer ₹ 26.75 Cr KKR PBKS Total Match 115 Total Runs 3127 Highest Score 96 runs Venkatesh Iyer ₹ 23.75 Cr KKR KKR Total Match 50 Total Runs 1326 Highest Score 104 runs Wickets 3 Best Bowling 2/29 Arshdeep Singh ₹ 18 Cr PBKS PBKS Total Match 65 Total Runs 29 Highest Score 10 runs Wickets 76 Best Bowling 5/32 Yuzvendra Chahal ₹ 18 Cr RR PBKS Total Match 260 Total Runs 37 Highest Score 8 runs Wickets 205 Best Bowling 5/40 Jos Buttler ₹ 15.75 Cr RR GT Total Match 107 Total Runs 3582 Highest Score 124 runs KL Rahul ₹ 14 Cr LSG DC Total Match 132 Total Runs 4683 Highest Score 132 runs Trent Boult ₹ 12.50 Cr RR MI Total Match 104 Total Runs 83 Highest Score 17 runs Wickets 121 Best Bowling 4/18 Jofra Archer ₹ 12.50 Cr MI RR Total Match 35 Total Runs 195 Highest Score 27 runs Wickets 46 Best Bowling 3/15 Josh Hazlewood ₹ 12.50 Cr RCB RCB Total Match 12 Total Runs - Highest Score - Wickets 12 Best Bowling 3/24 Mohammed Siraj ₹ 12.25 Cr RCB GT Total Match 93 Total Runs 109 Highest Score 14 runs Wickets 93 Best Bowling 4/21 Mitchell Starc ₹ 11.75 Cr KKR DC Total Match 41 Total Runs 105 Highest Score 29 runs Wickets 51 Best Bowling 4/15 Phil Salt ₹ 11.50 Cr DC RCB Total Match 21 Total Runs 653 Highest Score 89 runs Ishan Kishan ₹ 11.25 Cr MI SRH Total Match 105 Total Runs 2644 Highest Score 99 runs Wickets - Best Bowling - Jitesh Sharma ₹ 11 Cr PBKS RCB Total Match 40 Total Runs 730 Highest Score 49 runs Check Full Coverage

“I can confirm that PCB has a few hours back told the ICC that a Hybrid Model is not acceptable to them,” a source told PTI.

PCB did adapt the hybrid model during the Asia Cup last year in September, where all of India matches and the knockouts were played in Sri Lanka despite Pakistan being the host nation. The latter staged just one Super Eight game and few of Pakistan's group matches. However, for the Champions Trophy, PCB has been rather adamant in not going down the same path, as it reckoned it would be giving India a preferential treatment.

“I can confirm initially the PCB had looked at the possibility of a Hybrid model on the condition that if India can’t play in Pakistan, then in future there would be Hybrid models in all ICC events in India right until 2031 (ODI World Cup in India and Bangladesh) as Pakistan would not go and play in India,” the source said.

PCB also reportedly reminded ICC that if any member nation refuse to travel to the host country for a tournament, they ought to submit a written document from the government, stating the reason behind it.

“Under ICC regulations if any team says its government is not allowing it to play in another nation on whatever grounds that board has to submit their government’s directives in writing which we have not seen so far,” the source said.

UAE to host Champions Trophy semifinal, final?

According to a report in The Indian Express, in the wake of the Islamabad unrest, which led to Sri Lanka Cricket board cancelling their A team tour in Pakistan, ICC is keen to propose the hybrid model in the virtual board meeting on Friday. Based on the model, three of India's group matches, one semifinal and final will be played in the UAE. However, if India fail to make the semis, all knockout matches will be staged in Pakistan.

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