The senior leadership of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has acknowledged that the need to “protect broadcast rights” means there will be no changes to the participating teams for next year’s Champions Trophy, regardless of whether India chooses to travel to Pakistan.
Scheduled to take place in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, the Champions Trophy will mark the first international match for India in Pakistan since 2008.
Richard Gould and Richard Thompson, the ECB’s CEO and chair, stated on Wednesday that there are “lots of different alternatives and contingencies available” should India opt against travelling to Pakistan, suggesting the potential for a hybrid model.
However, they made it clear that proceeding with the Champions Trophy without India’s participation is not a feasible option.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refrained from sending a team to Pakistan for last year’s Asia Cup due to ongoing tensions between the two nations and their governments, which led to a hybrid model where India’s matches were held in Sri Lanka. Conversely, Pakistan participated in the 2023 World Cup held in India.
Pakistan have not hosted a major ICC event since co-hosting the men’s 50-over World Cup in 1996, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed its commitment to hosting a “world-class” tournament. The final decision regarding India’s travel to Pakistan lies with the Indian government’s approval.
“It would not be in cricket’s interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy,” Thompson was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. “It’s interesting, with Jay Shah – the former secretary of the BCCI and now chair of the ICC – [who] is going to have a big role to play in that. There’s geopolitics, and then there’s cricketing geopolitics. I think they’ll find a way. They have to find a way.
“There are always security concerns in this part of the world when those two countries play each other. That will probably drive the key decisions. But I know relationships between the two countries are as amicable as they can be at the moment: we saw it play out at the [men’s T20] World Cup in New York.”
Gould and Thompson are in Pakistan for ICC meetings in Dubai and have been engaged with PCB officials in Multan during England’s second Test match.
Gould highlighted that the reliance on broadcast rights for revenue means both India and Pakistan must be included. “If you play the Champions Trophy without India, or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them,” he said.
“They [Pakistan] are the host nation. We’ve seen the developments going on, and we’re all waiting to understand whether India are going to travel. That’s the key. We think there are some discussions and relationships where they need to be. I know Pakistan are expecting India to travel. There are lots of different alternatives and contingencies available if that doesn’t happen.
“There are a variety of different options available if those circumstances come along. But also, when was the last time Pakistan hosted any kind of ICC trophy? This is a big moment for the country, and hopefully we can have the fullest possible competition in Pakistan. If that’s not possible, we know there are options available.”
The PCB has reiterated its desire for the entire tournament to take place in Pakistan. Although fixtures for the Champions Trophy have not yet been released, the PCB has submitted a draft schedule to the ICC, proposing that the tournament run from February 19 to March 9, with India playing all their matches in Lahore.
The Champions Trophy will feature eight teams divided into two groups of four, leading to semi-finals and a final. The competing nations will include Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa.
