The Champions Cup 2025 is just over two months away, but the venue of the tournament is still unknown. While Pakistan is the designated host for the tournament, India’s reluctance to travel has forced the ICC to look for other options.
Amidst all the chaos and speculation, the ICC’s leading broadcaster Star India wrote a letter to the board confirming its position. Star India wrote about the repercussions that the ICC might face if India does not play in the tournament.
Also read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Australia begins new battle with ICC amid CT chaos
Star India writes to ICC amid Champions Trophy 2025 chaos
According to a report in TOI, Star India revealed the figures if India does not play in the Champions Trophy. It is believed that the ICC has decided to sell the Indian market separately while selling the media rights for four years.
Selling India’s rights separately has brought huge profits to the ICC, but it ensures India’s availability for all ICC tournaments (if they qualify). ICC’s contract with Star India accounts for 90% of the total global revenue.
If India does not play in the Champions Trophy, the ICC will have to pay 90 percent of the total value of the media rights, i.e. $750 million. Similarly, in the event of Pakistan’s withdrawal, ICC members would lose less than 10 percent of their total media rights.
Obviously, ICC members would not want India out of the tournament at any cost. This is the reason why the ICC is so determined to ensure India’s participation in the tournament.
According to industry sources, the ICC can easily change the tournament at any time to suit its interests. “The ICC has the right to move the tournament to any country as long as it is in the best interests of the ownership. The decision is not as complicated as it seems,” the report claimed.
Champions Trophy 2025 will not be cancelled: Sources
The source also revealed that the tournament cannot be canceled at any cost and a hybrid model may be the best way forward. He also claimed that PCB may do the same to BCCI in next year’s Asia Cup, but the ball will be in ACC’s court and not ICC’s.
“There is no question about canceling the tournament. As for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) saying they will quid-pro with India when the Asia Cup comes, the current issue is the ICC.”
“The Asia Cup is for the Asian Cricket Board to decide. Neither the federation nor the broadcaster are the same and that is a completely separate matter for the PCB to think about,” the source added.
PCB wants a hybrid model for all ICC events in India
With India confirming its stance of not traveling to Pakistan, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be held in a hybrid model. While the PCB has almost agreed, they want the same for all ICC events to be held in India, which means that Pakistan will not travel to India and play all their matches outside the country.
India is scheduled to host. of ICC events in the country in the upcoming cycle. India will co-host the 2026 T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka, the 2029 Champions Trophy and the 2031 ODI World Cup with Bangladesh.
