- Crucial ICC board assembly postponed for 24-48 hours, sources.
- PCB, BCCI to search out possibility “acceptable to all” with ICC’s help.
- Cricket boards to present ultimate opinion after consulting their govts.
KARACHI: An important International Cricket Council (ICC) board assembly convened to debate the way forward for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy was adjourned simply quarter-hour after it started on Friday.
It was agreed that Pakistan and India, in collaboration with the ICC, would work in the direction of figuring out a suitable and workable answer for the match’s internet hosting preparations.
The assembly was known as within the wake of India’s refusal to play in Pakistan, adopted by Pakistan’s agency stance rejecting a hybrid mannequin and warning that it will reciprocate by boycotting future occasions in India if the state of affairs continued.
Sources throughout the ICC revealed that preliminary consultations in the course of the transient assembly resulted in a consensus for Pakistan and India to discover a mutually agreeable plan, doubtlessly involving two or three different member boards as facilitators.
The course of is anticipated to conclude inside 24 to 48 hours.
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan, however India’s choice to not journey to Pakistan to play its matches within the nation has thrown the occasion into uncertainty.
Pakistan, sustaining a resolute place, has reiterated {that a} hybrid mannequin — the place matches can be break up throughout two venues — isn’t a suitable possibility.
During the quick ICC assembly and earlier interactions with the governing physique’s management, Pakistan reaffirmed its stance, demanding that each one the boards must be handled equally.
Sources added that each Pakistan and India are anticipated to seek the advice of their respective governments earlier than finalizing any preparations.
An ICC spokesperson confirmed the discussions, stating, “The board held a quick assembly at the moment, and all members are dedicated to resolving the Champions Trophy challenge amicably. Further conferences are deliberate within the coming days.”
Additional conferences on the Champions Trophy’s future are anticipated to proceed over the weekend.
Meanwhile, BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla acknowledged that the board is in discussions with the PCB and that the ICC can also be working to discover a answer to the matter.
“As far as our place is worried, we are going to do what our authorities tells us to do,” he advised reporters.
Earlier, India’s international workplace spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, acknowledged that the BCCI had cited safety issues over travelling to Pakistan.
“The BCCI has issued a press release. They have mentioned that there are safety issues there, and due to this fact, it’s unlikely that the crew will probably be going,” Jaiswal mentioned throughout a weekly press briefing on Friday.
This assertion contradicts the BCCI’s earlier, albeit oblique, declare that the choice to not go to Pakistan was on account of authorities restrictions, as the federal government’s official stance refers again to the BCCI’s assertion.
However, as of Friday night, there was no public assertion from the BCCI.