The Champions Trophy is rumored to be moving from Pakistan to the West Indies and the United States in 2025.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) might get paid to make the change.
There have been rumblings that Pakistan’s plans to host both the 50-over Champions Trophy in 2025 and the Twenty20 World Cup in 2024 could be altered.
The Champions Trophy may be hosted by the West Indies and the United States in place of the Twenty20 World Cup, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may get compensation as a result.
In 2024, the Twenty20 World Cup would go to England, Scotland, and Ireland, while in 2025, the tournament would be shifted from Pakistan to the Caribbean, as reported by News18. However, at this point in time, these talks have only taken place orally and are in the preliminary phases. The broadcasters bidding on the next ICC media rights support this concept, and if negotiations go smoothly, it may become law.
The United Kingdom may only host events in the May–June window, hence this is the primary factor motivating the proposed change. Since this time period overlaps with the original 2024 tournament date, both Ireland and Scotland have been mentioned as potential hosts for the T20 World Cup.
By switching the Champions Trophy to the West Indies and the United States, the United States will have an extra year to prepare the necessary infrastructure. The Champions Trophy is preferred by the West Indies and the United States since it has less matches than the T20 World Cup does.
It has been pointed out that holding an event like the T20 World Cup would present substantial hurdles due to the existing state of infrastructure in the United States. Some of the issues that have been brought up are the shortage of available venues and the possible financial losses for broadcasters in the sub-continent, where returns are usually strong.
“The current state of American infrastructure is not very promising. When compared to organizing a major event like the T20 World Cup, hosting the forthcoming Major League Cricket will be a piece of cake. When the stadiums aren’t completed, where will the games be played? According to News18, a source warns that broadcasters in the sub-continent, where profits are highest, may lose money on a long tournament in the far west.
According to the article, no “hosting agreements” have been formally signed by any of the participating countries. The ICC’s annual conference in Durban, South Africa, in July might mark the beginning of the process to initiate these agreements. The International Cricket Council (ICC) could approach the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about agreeing to the switch in exchange for financial compensation.
