New Delhi: The Indian team will play their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the tournament hosts, choosing the UAE as a neutral venue, reports ESPNcricinfo.
In the first major decision under the chairmanship of Jay Shah, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has resolved the issue of the Champions Trophy 2025 hosting rights. The upcoming event will be played in Pakistan, along with another neutral venue. A hybrid model has been decided for all ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle, which will be held in either India or Pakistan.
Due to strained political relations between the two nations, India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, when they participated in the Asia Cup. The two arch-rivals last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, featuring white-ball matches. Since then, India and Pakistan have primarily faced each other in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups.
The decision to choose the UAE as a neutral venue was anticipated following a meeting between PCB Chairperson Mohsin Naqvi and senior UAE minister, Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak, head of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), in Pakistan, according to ESPNcricinfo.
"The PCB has picked the UAE as a neutral venue for the Champions Trophy," PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
The much-anticipated contest between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is scheduled for Sunday, February 23. Bangladesh and New Zealand are in India's group, alongside Pakistan. India will face Bangladesh on February 20 and New Zealand on March 2, with all their matches likely to be held in Dubai.
Defending champions Pakistan will begin the tournament in Karachi against New Zealand on February 19, and their final league match will be against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.
The second group will feature Afghanistan, Australia, England, and South Africa. In addition to India's matches, other matches will be played at venues in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, as per ESPNcricinfo.
The two semifinals are scheduled for March 4 and 5, with the first one having no reserve day. The final, scheduled for March 9, will have a reserve day. If India qualifies for the first semifinal, it will be held in the UAE; otherwise, it will take place in Pakistan. The title match is slated for Lahore, with provisions to move it to the UAE if India reaches the final.
"The ICC Board has approved that matches between India and Pakistan, played at ICC events during the current rights cycle from 2024 to 2027 (which are to be hosted in India or Pakistan), will be played at a neutral venue proposed by the tournament host. This will apply to the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 (Pakistan), ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 (India), and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 (India and Sri Lanka)," an ICC statement said on December 19.
Additionally, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been awarded hosting rights for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will also apply. Cricket Australia has been awarded hosting rights for one of the senior ICC women’s events between 2029 and 2031.
The eight-team event will feature Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and hosts Pakistan.
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