Pakistan may propose minus-India formula for Champions Trophy: sources
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering a Champions Trophy 2025 without India, following India’s decision not to tour Pakistan for the tournament. In the next two days, the PCB plans to send a formal letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), following government guidelines, to request a clear explanation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on this decision.
Legal consultations have been completed, and the PCB intends to take a firm stance, seeking a written response from the BCCI. The PCB also aims to involve other cricket boards in supporting its position.
According to sources, the PCB plans to reference the 1996 and 2003 Men’s Cricket World Cups as examples. In those tournaments, teams such as Australia and the West Indies refused to play in Sri Lanka in 1996, while New Zealand and England declined to visit Kenya and Zimbabwe in 2003. In both cases, the ICC awarded points to the affected teams, but the venues remained unchanged.
Based on these precedents, the PCB may propose a “minus-India” option for the 2025 Champions Trophy, emphasizing that ICC tournament venues have not been adjusted in the past due to a team’s absence.
The PCB is still waiting for a formal update from the BCCI. While the BCCI previously informed the ICC verbally about its decision not to send the Indian team to Pakistan, the ICC has since conveyed this decision in writing to the PCB. In response, the PCB sought government guidance on how to proceed and is now preparing its next steps.
