The upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 is shrouded in uncertainty as the International Cricket Council (ICC) prepares to present its budget at the annual conference in Colombo. This comes amidst lingering accusations of overspending for the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024, held in the USA and West Indies.
The T20 World Cup, particularly the construction of a temporary stadium in New York, reportedly led to significant budget overruns, ultimately forcing the resignation of two high-ranking ICC officials. This recent financial mismanagement casts a long shadow over the Champions Trophy 2025. The ICC must find a delicate balance between promoting cricket globally and exercising sound financial judgment when approving the budget.
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Ankur Khanna, the ICC’s Chief Financial Officer, and Javed Murtuza, his counterpart from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), have meticulously crafted the Champions Trophy budget. It will be presented to the ICC Board for approval after undergoing thorough scrutiny by the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee (F&CA). This committee, chaired by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, will be tasked with ensuring the budget is realistic and efficient.
ICC Annual Conference in Colombo begins today
Champions Trophy budget on ICC’s agenda amid allegations of T20 World Cup overspend for matches in New York
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The proposed plan outlines Pakistan’s major cities – Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi – as host venues for the tournament scheduled between February 19th and March 9th, 2025. However, India’s participation remains a question mark, subject to approval from their government.
The current geopolitical tensions and security concerns continue to complicate sporting relations between India and Pakistan. As a result, alternative arrangements similar to the “hybrid model” used for the Asia Cup 2023 might be necessary.
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Meanwhile, the ICC annual conference will also serve as a platform for members to voice their concerns. Some members, like director Pankaj Khimji, have expressed outrage over the T20 World Cup’s New York expenses. Khimji has called for a forensic audit of the pop-up stadium costs to ensure transparency in the ICC’s financial dealings. The conference will also witness elections for Associate Member Director positions, with 11 candidates vying for three coveted spots.
