ICC Strikes Deal for 2025 Champions Trophy with Neutral Venues for India and Pakistan

The ICC has reached a solution for the 2025 Champions Trophy, agreeing to a hybrid model. India's matches will be played at a neutral venue, and in return, Pakistan's matches in events hosted by India will also be at a neutral venue.

This deal, approved by the ICC board, will apply during the 2024-2027 event cycle. India’s matches in events held in Pakistan will be at a neutral venue, and vice versa for Pakistan’s matches in events in India.

This applies to all games, including group stages and knockout rounds like the semi-finals and finals.

The hybrid model starts with the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan and will also apply to the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup in India and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

For these tournaments, any India-Pakistan match will be played in Sri Lanka. This arrangement could also apply to the 2028 Women's T20 World Cup in Pakistan.

The tournament host will choose the neutral venue, subject to ICC approval. The UAE is a leading option, with Sri Lanka also being considered.

The resolution also allows for a possible T20I tournament between India, Pakistan, and another Asian nation, with similar neutral venue rules. The ICC will not oppose this, but the details will be worked out between the BCCI and PCB.The agreement provides relief as the 2025 Champions Trophy nears, ending the uncertainty that began when the BCCI refused to travel to Pakistan.

The negotiations were challenging due to political tensions, but both governments played a role in approving the deal. The PCB, which was initially opposed to the hybrid model, is now content with the resolution.