Where will the Champions Trophy be played? ICC to take final call after November 29 meeting

While the window for the eight-team ODI tournament has been earmarked between February 19 and March, the ICC has not announced the dates as well or a schedule formally. Normally, for a global tournament, the ICC has in the past announced the schedule 100 days prior to the event.

The reason for the delay is the Indian government’s refusal to allow Rohit Sharma’s team the permission to travel to Pakistan. That decision was communicated to the ICC a fortnight ago. The PCB, who were awarded the hosting rights for Champions Trophy in 2021, subsequently wrote to the ICC posing several questions around the exact reasons BCCI had given, and when they informed the ICC. According to a PCB official, they have not received a response from the ICC to date.

The PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has remained steadfast about hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan, at three venues: Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Last week he said he would be open to a dialogue with the BCCI to break the deadlock. An ICC spokesperson confirmed Friday’s meeting, but the PCB has made no comment so far.

The ICC Board comprises representatives from the 12 Full Member countries, three representatives from Associates, an independent director along with the ICC chairman and CEO. The meeting comes right at the end of the tenure of the current ICC chair Greg Barclay. This will be the last board meeting he chairs before, on Sunday (December 1st), he is replaced by Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary and a key figure in the Champions Trophy matter.

Naqvi, the PCB chairman, is also a key figure in the Pakistan government, as its interior minister. Over the last couple of days he has been preoccupied in Islamabad in an effort to quell political protests by PTI, the party of former premier (and captain) Imran Khan.

Additional reporting by Osman Samiuddin