The ICC board will sit down on Friday to decide where and how the 2025 Champions Trophy will be played, only three months ahead of its scheduled date. There are three options on the table: A hybrid model, where most of the matches are played in Pakistan but games involving India are played outside Pakistan. The tournament shall be conducted entirely outside Pakistan while the PCB might retain the right to host. The event shall be conducted entirely within Pakistan with India not featuring. Hybrid Option Will be Less Likely The last option, where India is completely excluded from the tournament, is not being seriously considered due to the significant financial and commercial losses it would cause. On Thursday, the chances of the hybrid model became slimmer after a PCB official confirmed that it was no longer an option. Earlier on Thursday, the PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, appeared to be more amenable to the hybrid model, saying that he would pass whatever decision the ICC board makes on to the Pakistan government. This is a marked change from his earlier strong rejections of the hybrid option. However, Naqvi clarified that Pakistan would not be able to play in India because of the political tension prevailing between the two countries and that this might be a repeated issue for future tournaments. Also Read | Siddharth Kaul Announces Retirement From Cricket, Pens Emotional Note Potential Consequences for India-Pakistan Matches One condition that the PCB might accept a hybrid model if the ICC gives a similar arrangement for India, in which Pakistan would not play due to restrictions from the government. Naqvi did not confirm if Pakistan and India will play each other in Champions Trophy, as both teams fall in the same group. A hybrid model or relocation of the tournament would probably mean that any match between the two would be played at a neutral venue. If the match does not occur, it could result in a significant financial loss for the event. PCB Refutes Financial Motivations for Hybrid Model Naqvi said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not be motivated by making money out of this, refuting the speculations that PCB might ask for more hosting fee if they opt for hybrid model. He further added that PCB won't "sell out" to make more money and what will work for Pakistan would work for PCB. However, if two countries host the event then there would be some alteration to the budget of the tournament. The virtual meeting will be held and a vote is likely to decide the issue if there is no consensus by the board. The tournament is almost running out of time, and the board will have to finalize the schedule of the event and select another venue if necessary. Some of the venues in Pakistan, such as Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and National Stadium in Karachi, are already under renovation and upgrading processes to be ready in time for the tournament. The PCB assured the ICC that the venues would be ready by the end of the year. Also Read | Watch: Anrich Nortje Misses Run Out in Football Style at T10 Pakistan won the rights to host the Champions Trophy back in November 2021. Therefore, if things go according to plan, this would mark the first ICC event taking place in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup. However, it turned uncertain as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wrote to the ICC and stated that the Indian government had not provided them permission to send their team to Pakistan. This was expected because no Indian team has visited Pakistan since the Mumbai attacks in 2008, which had strained the relations between the two countries. Pakistan has made three visits to India, to play a series in 2012-13, to participate in the T20 World Cup in 2016, and to play the ODI World Cup in 2023. That tour was permitted only after the government-approved committee gave its nod over stiff opposition from some of the members.