The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the tournament’s hosts, has chosen the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the neutral location for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where the Indian team would play their matches. ESPNcricinfo reported.
The Champions Trophy 2025 hosting rights dispute was ultimately resolved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in its first significant decision under chairman Jay Shah. The ICC decided that Pakistan and another neutral location would host the future tournament. Additionally, all ICC events in the 2024–2027 cycle that will take place in India or Pakistan will use the hybrid model.
India hasn’t visited Pakistan since 2008, when they played in the Asia Cup, because of the two countries’ tense political ties. The two bitter rivals last engaged in a bilateral series consisting of white-ball matches in India in 2012–2013. Since then, India and Pakistan have mostly played each other in Asia Cups and ICC competitions.
According to ESPNCricinfo, the decision to use the UAE as a neutral venue was anticipated following a meeting between PCB chairperson Mohsin Naqvi and senior UAE minister and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) president Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak in Pakistan.
Amir Mir, a PCB spokeswoman, stated, “The UAE has been selected as a neutral venue for the Champions Trophy,” as reported by ESPNCricinfo.
On Sunday, February 23, the highly awaited match between bitter rivals India and Pakistan will take place. Other than Pakistan, India’s rivals are Bangladesh and New Zealand. All of India’s games are probably going to take place in Dubai, including their matches against Bangladesh on February 20 and New Zealand on March 2.
The defending champions, Pakistan, will play their final league game against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27. They will begin the tournament in Karachi on February 19 against New Zealand.
South Africa, Australia, England, and Afghanistan will make up the second group. According to ESPNCricinfo, aside from the Indian matches, the other teams’ games would be held at locations in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi.
On March 4 and 5, respectively, the two semifinals will take place; the first one will not have a reserve day. There will also be a reserve day for the March 9 final. If India advances, the first semifinal will be held in the United Arab Emirates. If not, Pakistan will host the game. Additionally, the championship match is scheduled for Lahore, with plans to move it to the United Arab Emirates if India advances to that round of the competition.
“The ICC Board has today 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),” a statement from ICC said on December 19.
Furthermore, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028 will be hosted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), with neutral venue arrangements also being in place. Additionally, Cricket Australia has been granted the opportunity to host one of the senior ICC women’s competitions from 2029 to 2031.
Along with hosts Pakistan, the eight-team competition will include Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa.