Champions Trophy: ICC 'left with limited options' as Pakistan want explanation over India's refusal

KARACHI: The International Cricket Council is "in a catch-22 situation" with “limited options” left on the table after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sought details about India's refusal to travel to the host country for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

According to informed sources, the PCB has written a letter to the ICC seeking answers to a few critical questions.

Sources indicate that the PCB has asked the cricket's governing body when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed them that the Indian cricket team would not participate in the Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in Pakistan in February 2025.

The PCB has also inquired whether the BCCI has formally notified the ICC in writing about their refusal.

Additionally, the PCB has questioned the reasons provided by the Indian cricket board, if any, for their decision not to visit Pakistan.

The PCB has also requested a copy of the written communication from the BCCI explaining their reasons, so these can be reviewed.

Another question raised by the PCB is how the ICC has responded to the BCCI's refusal to send their team.

Sources suggest that after obtaining answers to these questions, the PCB plans to seek legal advice and consult with the government for guidance in formulating its next steps.

However, sources have also stated that if India indeed refuses to send its cricket team to Pakistan and the ICC accepts this refusal, the PCB will categorically refuse to play any matches against the Indian cricket team during the Champions Trophy under any circumstances.

Meanwhile, contrary to the reports in the Indian press that suggested that the ICC could move the event outside of Pakistan, the sources said that there's no such development.

"ICC has not approached Cricket South Africa to host the Champions Trophy," the source said.

Another source added that it will be a tough challenge for the ICC to relocate the Champions Trophy outside of Pakistan, with less than 100 days remaining before the event.

"How can they just move it? They need boards' approvals for a start, they need a valid reason to shift it and what could be a valid reason, and when all other boards are regularly visiting Pakistan for bilateral events, how would they vote against an ICC event in Pakistan," the source said.

"And, no way do they take it away without a challenge from the PCB," it said, adding that the current stance by the Pakistan Cricket Board has already created headache for ICC which wasn't expecting this reaction.

Another source told Geo News that there were three options one of them was a hybrid model — which Pakistan has already refused, publicly. And, without the host's agreement, the ICC can't proceed with a hybrid model.

The other option was to relocate the event out of Pakistan — but it also seems a big challenge for the ICC.

Now the only option left is to find a middle way.

"The ball is now in ICC's court, they’ve to ensure the revenue as well so they’re in a catch-22 situation. The Indians are not travelling to Pakistan, and as a result, Pakistan have taken a stand that it will not play against India, so this is a difficult situation for the ICC," the source said.

"And, when you talk about revenue, ICC knows it can't minus Pakistan. It knows the value of Pakistan cricket and understands its contribution to cricket revenue and that's why they are eager to make sure both India and Pakistan play each other at least once in the ICC Champions Trophy,” the source said.

To make things difficult for the cricket's governing body, there is no precedent of a tournament being shifted outside the actual host to accommodate one team, or when one team was unable to travel to any country.

"If you remember the 2009 T20 World Cup, the UK government didn't issue visas to Zimbabwe. So, instead of relocating the whole tournament, the ICC tried a middle way that led to Zimbabwe's withdrawal from the tournament and it was replaced by Scotland.

"This indicates that it will never be easy for the ICC to shift their tournament outside of the announced host without any reasonable ground and at the behest of just one country," it explained.