New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will receive an additional $4.5 million (approximately Rs 38.2 crore) from the International Cricket Council (ICC) after agreeing to a hybrid model for hosting the Champions Trophy 2025. This model ensures that while Pakistan will host the tournament, India’s matches will be played at a neutral venue.

Chopra highlighted that the PCB has managed to safeguard its interests, as a similar arrangement will be extended to them during ICC events hosted by India in 2025 and 2026.

“There is no financial loss for Pakistan. The ICC will provide an additional $4.5 million to cover the costs of organising games outside Pakistan. The only loss could be in terms of tourism, which would have benefited Pakistan’s economy,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.

He also shared his positive experiences of touring Pakistan, emphasising the warmth of its people.

Under the agreed framework, India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025, and Pakistan’s teams will similarly skip Indian venues for the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026.

While the location for India’s matches in the Champions Trophy remains undecided, reports suggest Colombo or Dubai as potential options. The arrangement was necessitated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) refusal to send its team to Pakistan over security concerns.

The Indian cricket team has not toured Pakistan since 2008.

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Belagavi: Miscreants reportedly broke into a house and stabbed a pregnant woman to death using a knife, in Chikkuda village of Athani taluk here on Sunday.

The deceased pregnant woman has been identified as Suvarna Mantaiah Mathapathy (35) of Chikkuda village. Suvarna was a mother of four daughters and was expecting her fifth child. She was due to give birth within the week, with the delivery date already scheduled by her doctor.

The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday when Suvarna's husband went to the plantation to fetch fodder for the cows, and their children were at school. During this time, the attackers broke into the house and struck Suvarna with a sharp weapon, and later fled the scene.

When her husband returned and called for her, Suvarna did not respond. Upon entering the house, he found his pregnant wife lying in a pool of blood. He rushed her to a nearby private hospital, but the doctor confirmed that she had died on the way due to her severe injuries.

The exact reason for the murder is yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, a case in connection with the incident has been lodged at the Athani Police Station.

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