The path to ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is still a cloud in the air, drifting through with the wind as Pakistan’s tri-series with India in a neutral stadium never took off and the authorities are in a constant gridlock. As the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi declined to comment on the issue when he was speaking to reporters in Lahore on 7 December, he called for discretion to protect Pakistan’s bargaining position.
“I don’t want to give details at this point because we need to stay neutral,” Naqvi said in Urdu. These remarks summed up Pakistan’s wariness as the country navigates difficult negotiations about the hosting and cricketing implications of the tournament.
Cricbuzz had already covered how the PCB was considering holding a tri-series at a neutral venue as part of its move to settle the Champions Trophy saga. This seemed a deal-breaker as tensions flared after the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to not field its team to Pakistan. But the proposal was not accepted, increasing uncertainty about ending the conflict.
The PCB has continued to insist on a stable hybrid hosting scheme for ICC tournaments, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the neutral site. This model — the ICC Board members reportedly endorse this model for India’s encounters in Pakistan in the Champions Trophy — Pakistan considers this a mandatory minimum for future matches. With India likely to host four ICC tournaments and a continental championship before 2031, the stakes of this argument are much bigger than one match.
Naqvi broke his silence hours after meeting Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif. This consultation seemed timely as the PCB has been very vocal about its willingness to follow government instructions. The presence of the prime minister Sharif represents the strategic stakes in getting a good result, not only for Pakistani cricket but for the whole region.
BET in Champions Trophy 2025 FREE
Yet negotiations remain in limbo to date. ICC Chairman Jay Shah and the BCCI head are very much in control of the proceedings. Naqvi declined to comment specifically on Shah’s role, only that the need for reform was pressing. “The future of world cricket will rest with how the ICC collaborates and leads to positive resolutions,” Naqvi said.
There’s only one month left until the Champions Trophy from 19 February to 9 March 2025. With less than 75 days to iron out key issues such as where to play and how to get to the matches, everything is under pressure. Commentators worry that further delays would be a threat to the preparation of the competition and its status as a major ICC tournament.
READ MORE: Champions Trophy 2025
“We’re trying our level best to get something in place that’s favorable for Pakistan and international cricket,” Naqvi promised. Yet, the PCB chairman explained that all important decisions need final approval by the ICC and Pakistan’s hopes depend on general agreement.
This is not just a logistical quarrel. It is an exercise in the ICC’s authority to manage vested national interests in a more politicized cricket environment. The treatment of the future events should be equal, as for Pakistan, it is important to maintain its place on the world cricket stage.
India’s uncompromising refusal to play in Pakistan has further widened the gap, threatening the ICC’s role as neutral mediator. A hybrid match-hosting system could prove a short-term fix, but more universal issues of fairness and inclusion in global cricket continue to be debated.
MORE ON: Aaqib Javed is Molding Pakistan’s Cricket Revival, One Match at a Time
The Champions Trophy 2025 is going to be more than a sporting spectacle, it’s the test ground for national honour, political bargaining and the future of multilateral cricket. Perhaps conversation will eventually thaw out the stalemate, but this much is certain: it’s not long now, and the world is waiting.
