Published 13:43 IST, December 12th 2024
BCCI Shows Pakistan Its Place, Turns Down PCB's Selfish Demand Amid CT 2025 Controversy: REPORTS
The controversy around the Champions Trophy refuses to die down with BCCI and PCB refusing to reach a common ground and the fate of the tournament is in doubts
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: The fate of the Champions Trophy remains doubtful with less than 75 days to go for the tournament. The situation of the marquee ICC event is currently worrisome as nothing concrete seems to come out. The deadlock between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continues and the ICC is currently left with no option. The official broadcasters of the tournament have started to churn out marketing materials but that doesn't guarantee the fact that any concrete decision regarding the Champions Trophy is being taken anytime soon.
A decision was expected to come out after Jay Shah assumed charge as the ICC chairman on December 1, 2024, but things haven't turned out as planned. Shah recently flew to Brisbane to discuss the future of cricket in Olympics. Shah was also accompanied by Devajit Saikia, the BCCI joint secretary. The time is running out for the ICC, but both PCB and BCCI do not seem to reach a common ground.
No Respite For PCB In ICC Events: Reports
As per all the unconfirmed developments, The 15-match event, the ICC Champions Trophy will be conducted in a hybrid model with 10 games being played in Pakistan and the other 5 in another country, which might be the UAE or Sri Lanka. The PCB has already invested a lot of money for the renovation of stadiums that will host the Champions Trophy games and if the ICC takes the hosting rights away, then it will be a huge financial hit for the board.
ALSO READ | 'Achi Comedy': Netizens Slam Shoaib Akhtar On His Tall Claims Of Virat Kohli Dying To Play In PAK
The PCB reportedly has proposed that the same model should be applied for all the global tournaments that India will host for the next three years, but the BCCI has straightaway rejected the idea which has led the Champions Trophy snowballing into crisis even further. Now, one has to understand that the ICC is already in a very precarious position as far as the Champions Trophy is concerned. The broadcasters are already miffed with the ICC as they are not being able to market the lucrative prospect that the India vs Pakistan game is.
As far as the official broadcasting partners of the ICC are concerned, they might side with the BCCI too as an India vs Pakistan game played in India yields big rewards.
PCB Continue To Lie In The Name Of National Interest
When the entire Champions Trophy row started to heat up, the Pakistan Cricket Board had built an entire narrative around prioritizing their national interest. But seeing the heat turn up on them, the Pakistan Cricket Board later accepted the hybrid model and also asked for increased financial gains. Right now the ICC hasn't agreed to any demands made by the Pakistan Cricket Board and this is doing no good to the Champions Trophy's future
Updated 15:43 IST, December 12th 2024