Champions Trophy Breakthrough: India-Pakistan Matches to be Held in Neutral Venues
CricketPanditA breakthrough in the Champions Trophy deadlock has finally arrived, and it will be conducted in a hybrid model. The lengthy dispute, which has dragged on for over a month as the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sought to reach an agreement, has concluded with all parties agreeing that all India-Pakistan matches in the current cycle of 2024-27 will take place in a neutral country.
“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),” the ICC stated on Thursday. This effectively means that the India-Pakistan match in the 2026 Twenty20 World Cup will be held in Sri Lanka instead of India.
It remains unclear which neutral country will host the Champions Trophy—UAE or Sri Lanka. While the PCB, the designated host of the eight-team championship, seems to prefer Sri Lanka, logistical considerations may ultimately lead to a decision in favor of the UAE. The ICC has indicated that the final schedule will be announced soon.
If the decision favors the UAE, Dubai will host the India-Pakistan match. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) is reportedly awaiting final approval from the ICC and the PCB. There are also venues in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, but ECB officials suggest that if they are assigned the CT matches, the high-profile India-Pakistan game will take place in Dubai due to the venue’s capacity. The UAE is expected to host up to five of the 15 matches, including three India league matches and two knockout games.
In the meantime, the ICC has awarded Pakistan a new global event for the next cycle. “Additionally, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been granted hosting rights for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will also be in effect. Cricket Australia has also been given hosting rights for one of the senior ICC women’s events during the period from 2029 to 2031,” the ICC announced.
