LAHORE: The International Cricket Council, still unable to announce a fresh date for its Board meeting to resolve the deadlock on the Champions Trophy following India’s refusal to visit Pakistan, has convened an internal meeting with its sponsors and stakeholders on Thursday, well-informed sources told Dawn.

The delay in the announcement of the schedule of the Champions Trophy, to be held in Pakistan from Feb 19 to March 9, is proving worrisome for sponsors and broadcasters who have to make their arrangements.

The cut-off date for the announcement of the schedule was Nov 20 but confusion persists with the Board of Control for Cricket in India yet to accept the hybrid formula presented by the Pakistan Cricket Board which proposes that Pakistan and India will play their matches at neutral venues for events hosted by India and Pakistan respectively.

“The ICC has summoned a meeting with its sponsors and broadcasters for Thursday to apprise them about the current affairs of the Champions Trophy,” sources told Dawn. “The BCCI has not yet submitted its suggestion to the ICC on how to resolve the issue and as India is considered as cricket’s financial power, the ICC cannot announce the schedule without India’s consent.

“The ICC may ask the sponsors and the broadcasters to give their feedback on what should be the way forward if the BCCI refuses to sent its team to Pakistan and also refuses to accept the hybrid formula tabled by the PCB. The ICC may also ask the sponsors and the broadcasters to wait for a specific date as it continues to find a breakthrough.

“The ICC cannot afford the absence of India from the tournament as it will cost it heavily in terms of revenue and so it seems to be stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

India is to host several ICC events in the next few years, including the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 and the T20 World Cup in 2026 jointly with Sri Lanka as well as the 2029 Champions Trophy and 2031 ODI World Cup.

Sources added that if the BCCI doesn’t accept the formula proposed by the PCB, the only option available to the ICC would be to either postpone the Champions Trophy until a resolution is found.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2024