Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has arrived in Dubai to attend an important ICC Board meeting scheduled for today.
Naqvi, who departed Karachi early this morning, is expected to be involved in discussions that could significantly shape the future of international cricket events, especially the 2025 Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in Pakistan in February-March.
The meeting will begin with a special ceremony welcoming Jay Shah as the newly appointed President of the ICC.
Key decisions, including hosting rights for the Champions Trophy, are expected during the evening session.
Simultaneously, the ICC is holding a separate meeting with its broadcasting partners.
Sources indicate that Naqvi remains firm in his principled stance. If the new formula is rejected, the council could take strict action and explore legal options to resolve the dispute.
It is pertinent to mention here that the upcoming Champions Trophy is on hold following the BCCI’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan, while the PCB remains firm in its stance of opposing the hybrid model for the eight-team tournament.
However, in the latest turn of events, a new model called the “partnership formula” is being considered to end the impasse between the PCB and BCCI.
As per the new formula, Pakistan will also not play its matches in India during ICC events for the next three years. Dubai is most likely to be the neutral venue for both teams under the expected new deal.
India is scheduled to host three ICC events during this period, including the 2025 Women’s World Cup, co-hosting the 2026 T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka and the 2027 Champions Trophy.
Details were further disclosed that cricket’s apex body has advised the BCCI to accept the aforementioned model in a bid to avoid legal action from Pakistan and also to resolve the issue without a vote.
If the proposed formula is mutually agreed, there may be no need for a board meeting and cricket’s governing body will communicate the development to the board members.
Atique ur Rehman is a senior reporter at Geo News.
