ICC to conduct Champions Trophy in 20-over format? Shocking news comes from board

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will host the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, marking the return of the tournament after an eight-year hiatus. ICC stakeholders are currently deliberating over the format of the Champions Trophy in the future.

Pakistan will enter the 2025 Champions Trophy as defending champions, having claimed the title in 2017. Despite a shaky start in the 2017 tournament, Sarfraz Ahmed's team triumphed over Sri Lanka, South Africa, and England to reach the final clash against India.

During a recent meeting at the ICC headquarters in Dubai, top officials and stakeholders, including representatives from broadcaster Disney Star, brainstormed the future direction of the Champions Trophy, according to a recent report by Cricbuzz.

Some officials have insisted that the Champions Trophy should be held in the ODI format. However, a final decision was postponed, with the pros and cons of both the 50-over and 20-over formats being thoroughly examined. Viewership for ODIs has decreased by over 20% since the 2019 World Cup.

Broadcasters prefer the 100-over format due to greater monetization opportunities compared to the 40-over format. However, selling all ad slots for an ODI is less likely, and the cost of a commercial spot for an ODI is lower than for a T20 match.

In terms of advertising revenue, ODIs offer greater potential than T20s, with around 160 ads per match compared to 100 in T20s. Broadcasters earn around Rs 57-60 for every Rs 100 earned per over in T20s.

Arguments favoring the one-day format highlight the success of the previous year's World Cup in India. However, the success was due to India's hosting and performance. The Champions Trophy 2025 is seen as a link to the ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa.

Supporters of the T20 format argued that not all ad slots are likely to be sold for ODIs, and the cost of a commercial spot is lower compared to T20s. Broadcasters earn around 60% of the potential earnings of a T20 game in an ODI.

India To Travel Pakistan For Champions Trophy 2025?

The ICC will explore alternative venues for the Champions Trophy 2025, allowing Team India to avoid traveling to Pakistan. However, Pakistan visited India for bilateral series and ICC events. 

"Every member can raise concerns for discussion at Board meetings and then it would go to a vote. But if the government (of a member nation) expressly say that they can't play there, ICC would need to look for an alternative," a veteran administrator, who has attended multiple board meetings, told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"....because ICC Board's position remains that it doesn't expect its members to go against any policy/instructions issued by its own government," he added.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has consistently expressed its reluctance to travel to Pakistan. BCCI highlighted that government approval is crucial due to the complexities of the relationship between the two neighboring countries.

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