India to play matches at neutral venue as Champions Trophy stalemate ends
It’s official now. India will play all its matches at the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 at a neutral venue, most likely in Dubai.
Pakistan to get same privilege
On the same lines, Pakistan will play at a neutral venue its matches in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and Sri Lanka)
The International Cricket Council, which is now headed by former BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, announced this decision after the deadlock was broken with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), who are the hosts for the February 19 to March 9, 2025 tournament.
“The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 will be played across Pakistan and a neutral venue. India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at neutral venue,” the ICC said in its statement on Thursday.
Ever since the BCCI announced its intention in November not to travel to Pakistan citing security concerns, the ICC top brass had been in negotiations with the PCB to come to an understanding. The development had delayed the announcement of the full tournament schedule. After that, the PCB objected to sending its team to India for both the ICC Women’s World Cup to be held in India and the 2026 ICC World Twenty20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Post the breakthrough, ICC is set to announce — in the coming days — the full tournament schedule that has been stalled for a month now. The ICC said matches involving both countries would be held at a neutral venue in the 2024-2027 tournament cycle.
“This will apply to the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, set to be played in February and March 2025, as well as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and Sri Lanka),” it added.
