India stripped of Blind Women's T20 World Cup hosting rights

World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) on Monday stripped India of hosting rights for the upcoming Blind Women’s T20 World Cup amid the stalemate around the Champions Trophy 2025, ARY News reported.

The WBCC announced that the Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 will be held at a neutral venue after India refused to send its team to Pakistan for the ongoing Blind T20 World Cup.

The decision comes as India was set to host the upcoming Blind Women’s T20 World Cup next year when Pakistan will host the Champions Trophy 2025.

The decision was taken during the 26th General Council meeting of the WBCC at a local hotel in Multan, where Syed Sultan Shah was elected as the president of the World Blind Cricket Council for another term.

India, the defending champion, announced last month that it will not travel to Pakistan to play the Blind T20 World Cup 2024, citing the lack of permission from the Modi government.

It is to be noted here that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also refused to send its team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025.

The BCCI suggested a hybrid model for the tournament, scheduled in Pakistan in the February-March window next year.

Citing the non-issuance of clearance from the Indian government, BCCI proposed that India’s matches be held in Dubai.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) categorically denied such a proposition and expressed its resolve to hold the entirety of the tournament on its soil.

A day earlier, sources said that the PCB proposed the ‘Partnership or Fusion Formula’ to end the stalemate around the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

As per the new formula, Pakistan and India will play all of their games at a neutral venue for the next three years.

PCB in its formula suggested that India will not travel to Pakistan and vice versa for their games in the ICC tournaments scheduled for the next three years.