Champions Trophy 2025: The controversy around the upcoming ICC Champion’s Trophy refuses to die down. Both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have remained firm on their stances and the fate of the Champions Trophy has snowballed into crisis. The Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board has refused to host the tournament in a ‘Hybrid Model’, whereas the Board of Control for Cricket in India has written to the ICC that Rohit Sharma and Co. will not travel to Pakistan.

The final schedule of the Champions Trophy was expected to be be announced on November 11, 2024, but the never-ending tug-of-war going on between both the two boards has increased problems for the ICC. It is now being said that the ICC might have missed a contractual deadline for the release of the tournament’s schedule. The stakeholders associated with the event, needed the schedule to be released 90 days before the event.

Issues Loom Large For The ICC

The ICC board is expected to meet virtually on November 29 to decide the fate of the tournament which was scheduled to return after eight long years. As per a report published in Cricbuzz, the stakeholders of the ICC Champions Trophy have taken a huge financial hit owing the scheduling problems. The broadcasters in particular are being held back from commercially exploiting the opportunities that a tournament of this magnitude produces.

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The ICC has continued to maintain a dignified silence on the entire matter, but there will be some repercussions due to the delay in the announcement of the schedule. The report in Cricbuzz also states that the officials of the PCB have contacted ICC CEO Geoff Allardice to express displeasure over the ongoing uncertainty.

Sri Lanka To Play Champions Trophy If India Pull Out

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As per the format of the tournament, top eight teams are to play the Champions Trophy. Sri Lanka missed the cut by a whisker as they ended on the ninth spot in the ODI World Cup that they played last year. If India refrain from playing the Champions Trophy, Sri Lanka will end up playing the upcoming marquee ICC Tournament.