Pakistan pulled off a major upset on Thursday when the International Cricket Council, the governing body of world cricket, finally approved the hybrid model put forward by the Pakistan Cricket Board for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as well as the other ICC events, to be held in the next three years – from 2025 to 2027.
In a formal yet highly anticipated statement on Thursday, the ICC said: "India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the ICC board confirmed."
"The arrangement (hybrid-model) will apply to two major ICC events next year - the men's Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the women's ODI World Cup in India. It will also be in place for the men's T20 World Cup in 2026, which India will co-host alongside Sri Lanka, and the women's T20 World Cup in 2028 in Pakistan," the ICC said.
"The match schedule for the men's Champions Trophy 2025 will be confirmed in the coming days," the statement added.
The ICC announcement ended a month-long standoff between arch-rivals India and Pakistan and the uncertainty surrounding the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which will be hosted by Pakistan in Feb-March.
It may be mentioned here that a major row had erupted over the hosting of the mega event last month when the Indian Cricket Board (BCC) informed the ICC that it would not be sending its team to Pakistan because of security fears and political tensions.
Reacting to the BCCI's stance, the PCB termed it as 'baseless' and 'unreasonable' and insisted that the entire Champions Trophy 2025 will be held in Pakistan since the mega event was officially awarded to it by the ICC in November 2021.
The PCB also initially rejected the idea of adopting the "hybrid model" for the Champions Trophy but later agreed to it on the condition that Pakistan would be allowed similar favours for the ICC events in India, which would mean that Pakistan will not travel to India and will play all its matches on a neutral venue.
Due to soured relations, India have not visited Pakistan since 2008 and the rivals play each other only at multi-team events.
Pakistan, however, have visited India for 50-overs World Cup last year, for the 2016 T20 World Cup and for a three-match ODI series in 2012.
Pakistan also hosted the Asia Cup last year but winners India played all their matches in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model.
In the cricketing world, an India versus Pakistan contest is the most anticipated match in any ICC tournament, especially after the suspension of bilateral tours between the bitter cricket-mad neighbours.
The incumbent PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is also Pakistan's Interior Minister, while Jay Shah who was the BCCI secretary until he took over as ICC chairman earlier this month, is the son of India's Home Minister Amit Shah.
Pak fans awaited Indian players: Wasim, Amir
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram described the decision as "the best solution" but a loss for his country's young cricket fans.
"Like millions of Pakistan fans I would have wanted the whole tournament to be played in Pakistan, and India touring our country," Wasim told AFP. "But if this is the solution then it's the best one.
"It's not a win for any country but I am saddened that this is a loss for millions of Pakistani fans who wanted to see (Virat) Kohli, Rohit (Sharma), (Rishabh) Pant, (Jasprit) Bumrah playing in their country."
The Champions Trophy will also feature Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Former pacer Mohammad Amir said he wanted to host Kohli at his house in Lahore.
"It is disappointing that India will not be playing in Pakistan," Amir told AFP on the phone from Sri Lanka. "I would have loved to host Kohli at my home but it's not to be."
Amir, who retired from international cricket last week, said Indian players would have been overwhelmed by the welcome in Pakistan.
"Had they come to Pakistan they would have realised how much fan following they have here," said Amir. "We went to India for the Twenty20 World Cup in 2016 and were welcomed with open hearts by the fans."
There should be no politics in sports: Mohsin Naqvi
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that he is against politics in cricket and that a sport should remain a sport.
Presiding over the PCB's governing board's 76th meeting, Mohsin Naqvi welcomed all the teams and said Pakistanis want to see them playing on our grounds.
"We are ready in all respects to organise the ICC champions trophy as hosting the tournament is an honour for Pakistan."
Naqvi said everyone has appreciated Pakistan's principled stance and that from day one, he had been talking about the victory of Pakistan and Cricket.
