Pakistan is set to host the Champions Trophy 2025, but do you know how much money the country will get to host the mega event?

According to reports, Pakistan will get $6 million for hosting rights to the ICC Champions Trophy. Pakistan will also have to pay $1.2 to $1.3 million as a premium to the insurance company to insure the tournament. Pakistan will get more dollars from gate money and hospitality, thus deducting the insurance amount and getting about $6 million.

The ICC provides Pakistan with two instalments of $13 million from its income every year in January and July, while India gets 38 per cent of the annual share of ICC income, which is $90 to $95 million.

An important International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting will be held today regarding the hosting of the Champions Trophy scheduled in Pakistan.

A few hours before the decisive meeting for the future of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was in Dubai on an emergency basis since Thursday, where he held important talks with ICC CEO Jeff  Allardyce and top officials to inform them of Pakistan’s firm stance.

Naqvi made Pakistan’s position clear to the ICC that the government has banned us from the hybrid model, so India will have to come to Pakistan. If the ICC wants to move forward, it should bring a new proposal in the best interest of cricket and member countries. Discussing the hybrid model proposal with Pakistan in the meeting will be a waste of time.

Earlier, Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear to the ICC that the Pakistan Board is firm on its stance regarding the Champions Trophy and that they will bear the scars and not allow themselves to be dishonoured.

The ICC has not yet been able to announce the new schedule for the Champions Trophy due to Indian stubbornness, which is also worrying broadcasters, who fear a loss of millions of dollars.

The ICC has called a board meeting for Friday, November 29. An ICC spokesperson has confirmed that this meeting will be held online, and the agenda has been sent to all board members.

The scheduling and future of the Champions Trophy will be considered during the meeting, and various options for the Champions Trophy will be discussed.

The PCB also told the ICC that if a formula is devised to play matches with India at a neutral venue, Pakistan will never go to India to play.

On the other hand, according to a report by the cricket website Cricinfo, the option of holding the Champions Trophy in Pakistan without India may be discussed in the ICC board meeting. The choice of a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy will also be addressed, in which most of the events will be played in Pakistan, but India’s matches will be held in another country.

According to the cricket website, the board meeting will also discuss the proposal to hold the entire tournament in another country, with PCB as the host. However, the chances of a “minus India” formula are low due to commercial value.

The PCB has already discussed the “minus India” proposal based on past examples.

The English Cricket Board (ECB) has banned its players from playing in any franchise league during the English domestic season.

British media say that English cricketers cannot play in several leagues, including PSL, MCL, LPL and CPL. ECB’s decision will also affect the Pakistan Super League (PSL), to be held in April next year. However, ECB has given players an exemption from playing the India Premier League (IPL) in the new policy.

Due to the Champions Trophy, PSL Season 9 window has been kept in April and May. The English county season also takes place in the same months. The ECB’s decision is likely to cause financial loss to players playing franchise cricket, and there is a fear that this decision may cause some players to leave red-ball cricket.

ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould said, “We have to protect the dignity of our game and the strength of our cricket competitions. No player will be given a No Objection Letter (NOC) to participate in any other competitions during the English Vitality Blast and The Hundred League.”

The ECB says that the decision will improve the quality of domestic cricket.

The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, has taken an unapologetic stand in light of the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s stance on hosting the Champions Trophy.

Speaking on Geo News’ Geo Pakistan program, senior sports journalist Abdul Majid Bhatti revealed that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi went to Dubai yesterday, where he spent a busy day at the ICC headquarters.

“Mohsin Naqvi held one-on-one meetings with ICC officials. The PCB Chairman met ICC CEO Jeff  Allardyce and other officials, but many PCB officials in Lahore are unaware of his departure for Dubai,” he revealed.

“Mohsin Naqvi presented Pakistan’s position sternly to the ICC officials and also outlined Pakistan’s legal stance regarding the Champions Trophy. He is still in Dubai today, where he will join the ICC board meeting via video link,” Bhatti added.

“Voting in the ICC emergency meeting regarding the hosting of the Champions Trophy is the last option.

“If we talk about the hybrid model, then undoubtedly, the most popular venue is Dubai, which is close to both Pakistan and India and has a large number of citizens from both countries. However, Pakistan is not considering this option at the moment. If such a situation arises, Mohsin Naqvi will consult the Pakistani government again and respond to the ICC,” he said.

He also speculated that there is a possibility that a decision regarding the Champions Trophy may not be made in today’s meeting, and the matter will be deferred to the next meeting, during which Jay Shah will take over the ICC presidency.

“Jay Shah will be expected to fulfil the requirements of justice, but obviously, he will not do so and will follow the policies of the BJP,” Bhatti said.

The ICC board meeting will begin at 3 pm Pakistani time. This will be the last meeting of Greg Barclay as ICC Chairman.

According to Geo, Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear to the ICC that the Pakistan Board is firm on its stance regarding the Champions Trophy and that they will bear the scars and not allow themselves to be dishonoured.

The ICC has not yet been able to announce the new schedule for the Champions Trophy due to Indian stubbornness, which is also worrying broadcasters, who fear a loss of millions of dollars.

The ICC has called a board meeting for Friday, November 29. An ICC spokesperson has confirmed that this meeting will be held online, and the agenda has been sent to all board members.

The scheduling and future of the Champions Trophy will be considered during the meeting, and various options for the Champions Trophy will be discussed.

The PCB also told the ICC that if a formula is devised to play matches with India at a neutral venue, Pakistan will never go to India to play.

On the other hand, according to a report by the cricket website Cricinfo, the option of holding the Champions Trophy in Pakistan without India may be discussed in the ICC board meeting. The choice of a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy will also be addressed, in which most of the events will be played in Pakistan, but India’s matches will be held in another country.

According to the cricket website, the board meeting will also discuss the proposal to hold the entire tournament in another country, with PCB as the host. However, the chances of a “minus India” formula are low due to commercial value.

The PCB has already discussed the “minus India” proposal based on past examples.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made its position clear to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the issue of holding the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

According to Geo, PCB has approached the ICC on the issue of holding the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, making its position clear. 

Pakistan has demanded that an acceptable formula for the Champions Trophy be provided before the board meeting. The PCB also told the ICC that if a formula is made to play a match with India at a neutral venue, Pakistan will never go to India and play there. 

Now, the PCB is waiting for the ICC’s response.

India has refused to come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, while Pakistan has completely rejected the formula of shifting the tournament to another location or a hybrid model. Due to Indian stubbornness, the ICC has not yet been able to announce the new schedule for the Champions Trophy, which is also worrying broadcasters as they fear losing millions of dollars.

The consultations on squad for the national cricket team’s tour of South Africa have entered their final stage, and big names are likely to return to the team.

A strong squad will be selected for the ODI series and could mark the return of former skipper Babar Azam as well as fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi.

With Champions Trophy just around the corner, Fakhar Zaman’s return has been declared “necessary”, and so, it is possible that the star batter will be selected for Pakistan’s white-ball squad. Imam-ul-Haq’s name is also being considered for the red-ball team while senior batters and bowlers can be rested in the T20 series to give a chance to young players, reports said.

The squads are expected to be announced after the end of the ongoing ODI series against Zimbabwe. The board is also mulling setting up a camp for Test players in South Africa.

Pakistan are scheduled to play a series of three ODIs, three T20Is and two Test matches in South Africa. The series will be played from December 10 to January 7.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that the Board is in constant contact with the International Cricket Council (ICC), adding that, “Hopefully, the Champions Trophy will be in Pakistan.” 

While talking to media in Lahore, Naqvi said, “It is not possible for us to go and play in India, and they do not play in Pakistan. Hopefully, the Champions Trophy will be in Pakistan; whatever decision is made, we will come out with the best for Pakistan.”

Pointing out that the Gaddafi Stadium has been upgraded to international standards, he said, “The reconstruction work of the stadium started on October 10. The capacity of the stadium will be increased to 35 – 40 thousand, and the view will be much better. I wanted the Rawalpindi stadium to be ready at the same time; if I had received the report of the Pindi Stadium earlier, it would have been better. After seeing the whole situation, we will come out with something better from the ICC meeting.”

The ICC board meeting will be held on Friday to consider the future of the ICC Champions Trophy.

The option of adopting a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy will be presented in the board meeting, and an attempt will be made to convince Pakistan. However, Pakistan has already rejected the hybrid model, and if the decision to vote is against Pakistan, PCB will respond in consultation with the government.

Former Indian team head coach Ravi Shastri recently narrated an interesting incident of star batsman Virat Kohli and his wife, actress Anushka Sharma.

While talking to foreign media, Ravi Shastri narrated a 10-year-old story about Virat. 

“In 2015, when I was the coach of the Indian team, Anushka and Virat were dating each other. Virat came to me and asked if it was allowed to bring only wives on the tour. Can’t the girlfriend come along?” 

Ravi said, “I gave permission, then Kohli said that the Board is not giving permission. I called and got permission, then Anushka was with us on this tour.”

He said, “In the first Test against Australia, Kohli scored 160 runs, after which the same thing happened, Virat gave Anushka a flying kiss while she was sitting in the stands, which happens in most matches now. Anushka has always been Virat’s biggest supporter.”

Recently, in the Perth Test, Virat scored a magnificent century against Australia.

Virat’s new post leaves fans in shock

Indian star batsman and former captain Virat Kohli’s new post on social media has left fans worried.

As per the details, Kohli’s November 20 post on the micro-blogging website X (formerly Twitter), left fans confused as to whether it was about divorce or retirement.

“We were busy figuring out who we were. Ten years of ups and downs, and even the pandemic couldn’t shake us. If anything, it reminded us being different is our strength. So, here’s to ten years of doing it our way- the Wrogn way. Here’s to being Wrogn. And here’s to the next ten! Wrogn, for the right kind of man [sic],” he added.

With the post coming after Indian singer and composer A. R. Rahman and his wife Saira Banu’s separation, netizens started speculating if Kohli was also hinting at divorce.

However, it turned out to be a promotional post for a brand.

Virat’s association with this brand

Sporting Beyond is a new company that helps athletes with their business. It’s like a team that takes care of everything from sponsorships to charity work.

Recently, a big cricket star, Virat Kohli, joined Sporting Beyond. He said he’s excited to work with this team because they share his love for sports and his values.

Sporting Beyond is still new, but it’s already making a big impact. It’s helping athletes focus on their sport while they handle the business side of things.

“Looking back, we’ve always been a bit different. We never fitted into any box they tried putting us in. Two misfits, who just clicked. We’ve changed over the years, but always done things our way. Some called us crazy; others didn’t get it. But honestly? We didn’t care.,” he wrote.

A proposed version of the hybrid model of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champion Trophy has come to light.

Indian cricket website Cricket Buzz has claimed that 15 matches have been scheduled for the event from February 19 to March 9, out of which Pakistan will host 10 matches and one semi-final. A proposal to shift five games, including the other semi-final and the final, to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is under consideration.

If Pakistan accepts the hybrid model (which is unlikely), then broadcasters will have to face serious operational and logistical challenges. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may be given concessions and additional money if it accepts the proposal. 

Reports say that bookings for venues, hotels and travel arrangements will also have to be made for a semi-final and a final.

The ICC is still not able to make a final decision on where India’s matches should be held, while South Africa’s name is also under consideration for hosting the Trophy, but the South African board has clearly refuted the reports. 

In case the meeting decides on the basis of voting that the matches should be held under the hybrid model, it will be the first time that the tournament has been shifted to another place due to the non-participation of just one team from the event, there is no such example in the past.

14 members, including board members participating in the board of directors meeting, will be able to cast votes.

After this decision, Pakistan may withdraw from tournaments to be held in India, which include the Women’s World Cup and Men’s Asia Cup next year, as well as the T20 World Cup in 2026.

On November 27, 2024, Cricket Australia honoured the memory of Phillip Hughes on the 10th anniversary of his tragic passing.

10 years ago today (2014) in Sydney, Philip was hit on the head by a ball bowled by Sean Abbott during a Sheffield Shield match, losing his life to the injury.

Today, the players observed a minute’s silence in the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Tasmania in memory of Philip Hughes.

Emotional scenes were seen at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Sean Abbott was also among those paying tribute at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and he became emotional on this occasion, which was encouraged by his fellow players.

On the completion of 10 years after the death of the former cricketer, a loving message was also issued by the family of Philip Hughes.

He represented Australia in 26 Tests, 25 ODIs and one T20I match.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has called a board meeting on November 29 to consider the future of Champions Trophy 2025 due in Pakistan next February.

According to reports, the meeting will be held online, and the agenda will be sent to all board members.

The scheduling and future of the Champions Trophy will be considered during the meeting, reports said, adding that various options will be discussed during the meeting. These options include a hybrid model, a complete transfer from Pakistan or the postponement of the tournament.

The board’s preference is to adopt a hybrid model; however, the PCB has already opposed the same.

The ICC will take a final decision on the Champions Trophy after considering all opinions and suggestions by the board members.

India has refused to come to Pakistan and participate in the tournament whereas Pakistan is adamant on its stance of not accepting any hybrid model.

Meanwhile, due to Indian stubbornness, the ICC has not yet been able to announce the schedule.

The ICC is facing pressure from broadcasters to announce the schedule at the earliest and as per broadcast rights. The ICC may also face legal action if Pakistan-India match is not held.