The International Cricket Council (ICC) board will meet virtually on November 29 to discuss the road ahead for next year’s Champions Trophy.
The meeting comes in the wake of the ongoing impasse between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the ICC over India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament.
While the PCB officials have so far been reluctant on hosting the tournament in a hybrid model, the meeting could eventually offer a headway to the ongoing dilemma.
Sources have indicated that efforts could be taken to ensure that India plays its games in the United Arab Emirates, while a large part of the tournament is played in Pakistan, including the final – if India doesn’t make it to the summit clash.
But in case India makes it to the final, the fixture would be held in the UAE.
“With not much time left, the ICC Board needs to finalise the schedule and start the process,” a source said, indicating that while the ICC usually announces schedules 100 days prior to the event, the impasse has led to a delay.
Going by the protocol, it is likely that the members will be asked to vote on a solution.
India hasn’t travelled to Pakistan since 2006-07, even though the Pakistan team has been to India twice in the last decade – in 2016 and 2023 – to feature in ICC tournaments. Last week, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi had indicated that he’s open to dialogues with the BCCI and find a solution to the ongoing problem, and also claimed that, so far, they had heard nothing from their Indian counterparts.
With Jay Shah set to take over as the ICC chairman later this week, the ICC board is expected to deliberate all the options and decide on the best possible solution. The ICC board comprises representatives from 12 full members, three representatives from associate members, an independent director and the ICC chairman and CEO.
The Champions Trophy, which was last held in England in 2017, is slated to be held between February 19 and March 9 next year.
