The International Cricket Council has agreed to host next year’s Champions Trophy in a hybrid model, allowing India to play its share of matches in Dubai while a similar arrangement is in place for multilateral competitions until 2027. “In principle” has been agreed. According to top ICC sources, the decision was more or less finalized during an informal meeting between the body’s new president Jay Shah and the board of directors, including Pakistan, at its headquarters. Dubai on Thursday. “All parties have agreed in principle that the 2025 Champions Trophy will be held in the UAE and Pakistan with India playing their matches in Dubai,” an ICC source told PTI.

The Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held in February-March next year. Pakistan, withdrawing its threat of boycott and agreeing to go hybrid at the previous ICC meeting last week, had demanded mutual arrangements for itself by 2031. However, the ICC has agreed to a hybrid model for all its events until 2027.

During this period, India will host the Women’s ODI World Cup in October this year and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup jointly with Sri Lanka.

Given the hosting arrangements, Pakistan would not have been forced to travel to India in 2026 if it had insisted against it, even if there was no hybrid model.

“During the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan will play its matches in Sri Lanka. The compensation sought by the PCB for the hybrid model of the Champions Trophy is under consideration”.

Agreeing to the arrangement would mean the Indian women’s team would have to travel to a neutral venue to play their league match against Pakistan, should the schedule go by which is yet to be revealed.

Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi said after the last ICC that “cricket should win, that’s the most important thing but with respect to everyone. We’re going to do what’s best for cricket, we The formula that will be followed will be on the basis of equality”. to meet

The latest development will clear the decks for the release of the Champions Trophy schedule that has been awaited by fans and broadcasters, Star Sports for a long time.

As per the agreement between the ICC and the broadcaster, the governing body was expected to give it the tournament schedule at least 90 days in advance, but this deadline has been breached.

Channel representatives were in Dubai with Shah to discuss the operational modalities and possible schedule of the ‘hybrid model’. But according to sources, the meeting was postponed till Saturday.

PCB had earlier indicated that it wanted to take a higher share of the annual revenue cycle to meet Indian demand for the hybrid model, but there is no word yet on whether this has been discussed.

India has not visited Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which more than 150 people were killed. Their last bilateral engagement was in 2012.

His latest refusal to travel has been blamed on security concerns and the ICC has repeatedly said it does not expect any member board to go against the government’s travel advisory.

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