New Delhi– The International Cricket Council has reached a consensus to conduct next year’s Champions Trophy in a hybrid model, allowing India to play its share of matches in Dubai while agreeing “in principle” to a similar arrangement in multi-lateral events till 2027.
According to a top ICC source, the decision was more or less finalised during an informal meeting between the body’s new President Jay Shah and the Board of Directors, including Pakistan, at its headquarters in Dubai on Thursday.
The Champions Trophy is to be held in February-March next year.
Pakistan, while withdrawing its boycott threat and agreeing to go hybrid in the previous ICC meet last week, had demanded a reciprocal arrangement for itself till 2031. However, the ICC has agreed to a hybrid model for all its events till 2027.
During this period, India will be hosting 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 arrangement, Pakistan would not have been compelled to travel to India if they had insisted against it in 2026 even if a hybrid model was not in place.
Agreeing to this arrangement means that the Indian women’s team will have to travel to a neutral venue to play their league match against Pakistan, should that be necessitated by the schedule which is yet to come out.
The latest development will clear the decks for the release of Champions Trophy schedule which has been long awaited by fans and broadcasters, Star Sports.
As per the contract between the ICC and the broadcaster, the governing body was expected to give it the schedule of the tournament at least 90 days in advance but that deadline has already been breached.
The channel’s representatives were in Dubai to discuss the operational modalities of the ‘Hybrid Model’ and prospective schedule with Shah. But that meeting was postponed to Saturday, according to sources.
The PCB had earlier indicated that it wanted a greater share in the annual revenue cycle to accommodate the Indian demand for a hybrid model but there is no word yet on whether this has been discussed.
Their latest refusal to travel has been blamed on security concerns and the ICC has stated more than once that it does not expect any member board to go against government travel advisories.
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