ICC Faces Budget Adjustments for Champions Trophy 2025 with Potential India-Pakistan Venue Issues

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has increased the budget for the Champions Trophy 2025, anticipating the possibility of relocating India’s matches outside Pakistan. This adjustment comes as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) urges the ICC to convince the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to allow the Indian team to play in Pakistan during the tournament.

Scheduled for the first quarter of next year, the Champions Trophy budget was approved at ICC meetings in Colombo. However, details regarding the schedule and format of the tournament have yet to be discussed, according to a PCB source.

Indian media reports indicate that the PCB has already provided all necessary information in its expression of interest document submitted to the ICC. The responsibility now lies with the ICC to finalize and announce the tournament’s schedule and secure the BCCI’s confirmation regarding the Indian team’s participation in Pakistan.

The additional budgetary provisions account for scenarios where India’s matches might need to be played outside of Pakistan. Historically, the BCCI has maintained that the decision for Indian teams to play in Pakistan rests with the Indian government.

In a recent precedent, India played its 2023 ODI Asia Cup games in Sri Lanka under a ‘Hybrid Model,’ avoiding playing in Pakistan.