Pakistan contacts ICC for explanation after India pulls out of Champions Trophy

LAHORE: Amid the prevailing ambiguity surrounding India's participation in the Champions Trophy, sources told Geo News on Tuesday that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had written to the International Cricket Council (ICC), seeking the neighbouring country's refusal to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament.

The PCB's letter to the ICC comes days after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCC) verbally informed the ICC of its decision not to participate in the mega-event set to be held in Pakistan in February-March next year.

The international body then communicated the matter to the PCB which prompted the latter to consult with the Pakistani government on the issue.

The board intends to present a firm stance, reflecting the government's advisory, and has decided to not accept any "hybrid model" provisioning any of its Champions Trophy matches outside Pakistan.

"If India's participation contributes to ICC's revenue, the PCB’s role is equally crucial, and without Pakistan-India matches, the ICC revenues would suffer significantly," say sources.

The board intends to present a firm stance, reflecting the government's advisory, and has decided to not accept any "hybrid model" provisioning any of its Champions Trophy matches outside Pakistan.

"If India's participation contributes to ICC's revenue, the PCB's role is equally crucial, and without Pakistan-India matches, the ICC revenues would suffer significantly," say sources.

Also, there's a chance of Pakistan boycotting ICC events in India altogether for "mixing sports with politics" and refusing to visit Pakistan.

The prospective move, if executed, could have major financial and structural consequences for global cricket as Pakistan's absence could weaken viewership and ICC’s projected revenue from broadcasters and sponsors.

The ICC, which secured $3.2 billion from broadcast rights for the 2024-2027 cycle and anticipates $1 billion more in other revenue, relies heavily on marquee events featuring Pakistan and India, which consistently attract record viewership and engagement.

"No India vs Pakistan games in ICC events mean all broadcast and sponsorship deals would fall out," said a source who noted that a match in the ICC event is important for global cricket.

In recent years, the ICC has made sure that India play Pakistan at least once in each of the global cricketing events, ensuring a major chunk of revenue from this game.

The match between arch-rivals at the 2023 World Cup drew unprecedented interest, with 173 million viewers on Indian TV and 225 million digital viewers.

It is to be noted that India has not played an international match in Pakistan since 2008. Last year, the BCCI declined to send a team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, leading to a hybrid format with later stages held in Sri Lanka.

However, Pakistan did visit India soon after for the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they fell short of reaching the semi-finals.