PCB chairman Naqvi meets ICC officials in Dubai ahead of board meeting

DUBAI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi attended crucial meetings at the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters here prior to its board meeting, sources claimed on Friday.

According to the details, Naqvi reached here and held one-on-one meetings with the ICC officials. He also met ICC CEO Geoff Allardice and other senior delegations to further advocate Pakistan’s stance regarding the hosting of the Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.

Details further shared that Naqvi remained steadfast on Pakistan’s stance and shared the country’s legal position with the apex cricketing body.

Notably, Mohsin Naqvi will remain in Dubai today and will join the highly-anticipated ICC board meeting through video link. The meeting will be held at 3:00 PM (Pakistan Standard Time).

It is pertinent to mention that the Champions Trophy 2025 is at a standstill following Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) refusal to send its team to Pakistan, while the PCB is firm on its stance of rejecting the proposal of the hybrid model.

As a result, the ICC has summoned a board meeting, slated to be held virtually today, to deliberate on the future of the eight-team tournament, slated to be held in Pakistan in the February-March window next year.

Reliable sources told Geo News that several options are on the table, including holding the tournament in Pakistan without India. However, this scenario is considered highly unlikely due to India’s significant commercial value.

While rare, there are precedents in sports where teams or contingents have been replaced due to their inability to participate in events hosted by specific countries.

One proposal under consideration involves a hybrid model, with Pakistan hosting most matches while games involving India are held in a neutral venue, likely the UAE.

Other options include relocating the entire event to a neutral venue or postponing it to a later date.