Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that it will push for a hybrid model during the upcoming ODI World Cup in India and the 2025 Champions Trophy if its current proposal regarding the Asia Cup is accepted.
PCB has pared its demands to include only four games in Pakistan with the rest of the tournament taking place at a neutral venue terming it a “hybrid” model.
Hybrid model is a compromise but we are ready for it. We have offered to host Asia Cup in two phases, four matches of the group stage will be played in Pakistan. After that, we all will go to a neutral venue to play the rest of the matches including the final, PCB’s acting head Najam Sethi was quoted as saying.
The slight hitch in PCB’s plan is that other cricketing boards associated with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are yet to accept this proposal citing various reasons.
However, PCB appears confident that they will eventually come around and that Pakistan will be allowed to undertake the same hybrid model for the ODI World Cup and the next Champions Trophy which is slated to be held in Pakistan as well.
It is almost guaranteed that India will not travel to Pakistan for the tournament, prompting another compromise in the hosting of the event.
Furthermore, Najam Sethi assured the media that Pakistan may skip the upcoming World Cup if they do not feel comfortable about the security arrangements.
There will be no sanctions. There is a clause [Force Majeure] that allows us to decide whether to play or not in case of security concerns, Mr Sethi said.
The ODI World Cup is slated to be held in October this year after the Asia Cup which has caused so much uproar in the cricketing world.
